The Trail 2016: Don’t take the bait

Welcome to THE TRAIL 2016, your daily rundown from The Hill on all the latest news in the White House, Senate and House races.

Worried Republicans have a message for Donald Trump: It’s time to get on message. 

Trump’s supporters, including Ben Carson, told The Hill that the candidate has allowed himself to be blown off course after days of publicly feuding with the Muslim parents of a U.S. soldier who was killed in battle.

Trump hasn’t been able to let their criticism go. But Republicans say it’s time, and are urging Trump to avoid any further detours away from his message about economic anxiety among the Working Class and government corruption driven by the influence of special interests. 

It’s not for lack of trying – Trump’s campaign sent an email to its surrogates on Capitol Hill pushing for an “urgent pivot” away from the fight against the Khan family. 

But the controversy has persisted into its fifth day nonetheless, as advisers like Chris Christie publicly voice their displeasure with Trump’s handling of the matter. 

One frustrated GOP lawmaker, retiring Rep. Richard Hanna (N.Y.), cited the episode in announcing he would vote for Hillary Clinton in the fall election. 

In a press conference at the White House, President Obama said Trump’s feud with the Gold Star family is evidence of how he is “unfit” for office and called on GOP leaders to withdraw their support for the nominee. 

Check back at The Hill for breaking news updates on this and everything related to 2016. 

The Hill’s Julian Hattem will have a look at how the Clinton campaign has not been able to put the issue of her private email server behind her. And Scott Wong will have a dispatch on Speaker Paul Ryan’s reelection bid as he aims to avoid the trap that form majority leader Eric Cantor fell into.

 

RACE TO 1600 PENN 

HEADS ARE ROLLING: The Hill’s Lisa Hagen reports: Top staffers at the Democratic National Committee resigned Tuesday in a shake-up spurred by the leak of the damaging emails that have already cost Debbie Wasserman Schultz her chairmanship. 

TRUMP’S BENGHAZI BACKERS: The Hill’s Ben Kamisar reports: The father of a Navy SEAL killed in the 2012 Benghazi terrorist attack endorsed Donald Trump on Tuesday, making him the second parent of a fallen soldier in that attack to do so. 

ATTACK DOG: The Hill’s Ben Kamisar reports: Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine in Florida went after Donald Trump on a number of fronts Tuesday, and in particular accused him of being silent on the Zika virus. There have been 14 cases of locally transmitted Zika cases reported in the Sunshine state.

 

ODDS AND ENDS:

CROSSING PARTY LINES: The Hill’s Jesse Byrnes reports: A former top aide to Chris Christie says she will vote for Hillary Clinton in November. 

THANK YOU CARD: The Hill’s Rebecca Savransky reports: Bernie Sanders is expressing his gratitude to those who supported his presidential campaign. 

NOT GONNA HAPPEN: The Hill’s Jesse Byrnes reports: Donald Trump can’t win the White House, says MSNBC and former GOP Rep. Joe Scarborough.

 

POLL POSITION 

CONVENTION BOUNCE: The Hill’s Jesse Byrnes reports: Hillary Clinton has jumped to an 8 point lead over Donald Trump in a new national survey.

SKEWED: The Hill’s Ben Kamisar reports: Donald Trump thinks there is something “phony” about polls that show him trailing Hillary Clinton.

 

THE DAILY TRUMP 

NO CRYING IN POLITICS: The Hill’s Jesse Byrnes reports: Trump gestured to have a crying baby removed from his rally after the child interrupted his speech. Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine mocked Trump over the episode.

MILITARY SUPPORT: The Hill’s Ben Kamisar reports: A military veteran presented Donald Trump with a Purple Heart at a rally in Virginia on Tuesday. 

MILITARY DEFERMENTS: The Hill’s Mark Hensch reports: Donald Trump received five deferments, both for education and for a medical issue, during the Vietnam war. 

NO CHOICE: The Hill’s Nikita Vladimirov reports: Donald Trump says the U.S. must conduct air strikes and bomb ISIS in Libya.

 

QUOTE OF THE DAY 

“I’m not quite there yet.” 

— Donald Trump withholding his support for Speaker Paul Ryan, who faces a primary election next week. Ryan similarly withheld his support from Trump earlier in the cycle, but has since stuck his neck out for him.

 

CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGNS 

ANYTHING GOES: The Hill’s Melania Zanona reports: A Tea Party candidate will run as a Democrat in an attempt to oust a GOP chairman in the House.

 

MONEY WATCH 

ROLLING IN IT: The Hill’s Mark Hensch reports: Hillary Clinton raised nearly $90 million in July.

 

WHAT WE ARE WATCHING FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW:

(All times Eastern) 

Donald Trump will be a guest on “The O’Reilly Factor” tonight on Fox News at 8, while daughter Ivanka Trump will be a guest on Fox News’ “Greta” at 7 p.m. Vice presidential nominee Mike Pence holds a town hall in Phoenix at 10 p.m. 

On Wednesday, Trump holds a town hall in Daytona Beach, Fla., at 3 p.m. and a rally in Jacksonville, Fla., at 7 p.m. 

Also on Wednesday, Hillary Clinton holds a rally in Commerce City, Colo., at 5:15 pm., while running mate Tim Kaine is scheduled for an event in Greensboro, N.C. at 1:30 p.m. 

CNN’s Anderson Cooper will host a Libertarian presidential town hall with Gary Johnson and Bill Weld at 9 p.m. on Wednesday.

State primaries are being held in Kansas, Michigan, Missouri and Washington state today.

 

TWEET OF THE DAY

This could be the exit ramp McCain and Ryan are looking for.

— Ryan Lizza (@RyanLizza) August 2, 2016

— Trump on Tuesday said he’s not ready to endorse Speaker Paul Ryan, and also withheld support for five-term Sen. John McCain (R-Az.), who has acknowledged he’s fighting for his political life.

 

Write us with tips, suggestions and news: Jonathan Easley, Ben Kamisar, Jonathan Swan, Lisa Hagen. 

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