The Hill’s 12:30 Report — The 2024 presidential race is heating up

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–> A midday take on what’s happening in politics and how to have a sense of humor about it.* 

*Ha. Haha. Hahah. Sniff. Haha. Sniff. Ha–breaks down crying hysterically.

TALK OF THE MORNING 

Five things to know about the 2024 presidential race:

It can be hard to keep up with everything going on in the 2024 presidential race — from new GOP candidates jumping in and the snipes former President Trump throws at his challengers. Then there are questions about Democratic challenges to President Biden. And keep in mind: The election is still 16 months away.

Luckily… The Hill’s Niall Stanage has you covered. Here are his five things to know. 

SPOILER ALERT: Trump’s legal issues, Biden’s age, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s floundering, Supreme Court uncertainty and GOP woes all play a factor. 

BUT, BUT, BUT: “There are many twists and turns still to come,” Stanage notes. 

It’s Wednesday, July 5. Hope you had a happy Fourth of July! I’m Elizabeth Crisp, filling in for Cate, with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up.

Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here. Send me your tips: ecrisp@digital-staging.thehill.com and follow me on Twitter @elizabethcrisp. 

In Congress 

Abortion is shaping up to be a major election issue:

Republicans have campaigned on ending abortion for years, but now that the Supreme Court has handed them a ruling that could do just that, they’re realizing it may become a liability. 

GOP senators don’t want to talk about it after the 2022 midterms, when they lost a seat months after the high court effectively nixed the landmark 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision.  

Meanwhile, Democrats are more than happy to talk about it when a record number of people back abortion rights.  

The Hill’s Alexander Bolton reports:  

“Senate Republican strategists warn their hopes of winning back the majority in 2024 could be derailed by the abortion debate, as they believe happened last year.” 

Shutdown showdown — McCarthy doesn’t want it to come to that: 

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) earlier this year got his caucus on board to raise the debt ceiling, but he’s already facing another leadership test: preventing a government shutdown. 

House members return next week with 12 appropriations bills on their plate that they need to send to the Democratic-controlled Senate so further negotiations can start. 

Centrists and other members closely tied to leadership generally agree that there will need to be a bipartisan compromise on government funding, given the split nature of Congress, but conservative hard-liners are demanding deep budget cuts. (The Hill) 

WALKING A FINE LINE: McCarthy is tasked with preventing a revolt among Republicans already deeply divided over conservative philosophies ahead of the 2024 election cycle. After only securing the Speaker’s gavel following a marathon 15 votes, he also faces a potential vote to take the leadership post away from him if he upsets the wrong people. 

😲 In the White House 

Cocaine in the White House? Substance discovered as Bidens out of town: 

If you missed the news in the long holiday shuffle: A mysterious white powder was discovered at the White House late Sunday during a routine security check. The Secret Service has confirmed that the substance was cocaine.

NO ONE HOME: President Biden and his family, including first lady Jill Biden, were all at Camp David all weekend to celebrate an early July 4 holiday. 

It’s not yet known where the white powder came from, but it was found in what the Secret Service has deemed a “work area” in the West Wing. There was a Sunday night evacuation, as ordered by the D.C. fire department. (The Hill) 

🏃 2024

How GOP candidates celebrated Independence Day: 

Tuesday was Independence Day, and GOP presidential candidates were hot on the campaign trail. 

Highlights:  

• Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Texas Rep. Will Hurd and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott took part in the Merrimack, N.H., Independence Day parade. 
• Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, former Vice President Pence, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and radio host Larry Elder were all in Iowa to celebrate (and campaign). 
• Former President Trump, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie didn’t have any public events over the holiday. 
• President Biden hosted hundreds of people — mostly military veterans and their families — at the White House’s South Lawn to celebrate Independence Day. 

More here from The Hill. 

WELCOME TO PHILLY:

The Daily Beast’s Kate Briquelet spent the weekend with the controversial far-right Moms for Liberty group in Philadelphia. 

BACKGROUND: Moms for Liberty is known for supporting book bans and other efforts in the name of “parental rights.” The Southern Poverty Law Center has classified it as an “anti-government extremist” group. 

“Demonstrators turned out in full force for M4L’s second annual summit, which drew hundreds of people to a Marriott hotel downtown and served as an important stop for Republican presidential candidates including former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis,” Briquelet reports. (More here) 

DESANTIS’s FLORIDA SHIFTING FROM SUNSHINE TO THE SHADE?:

Florida has long been known as the “Sunshine State.” The weather is lovely (when not battling hurricanes), but another layer to that nickname is that Florida also has a reputation for being home to some of the nation’s best “Sunshine Laws” — in other words, laws that provide broad access to government documents.  

That’s likely changing, thanks to Gov. Ron DeSantis, the two-term Republican now running for president.  

NBC News reports that as DeSantis seeks higher office, “government accountability watchdogs are pointing to the long shadow of secrecy cast by his administration.” 

NBC further points out: “[DeSantis’s] administration has routinely stonewalled the release of public records, approved a slew of new legal exceptions aimed at keeping more information out of the public eye, and waged legal battles against open government advocates, the press and other watchdogs.” 

AND: The Harvard grad who is a former U.S. attorney “is the only Florida governor known to use ‘executive privilege’ to keep records hidden.” 

🔥 In other news 

Hot in here – July 4 was the hottest day ever recorded: 

Yikes: This Independence Day was the Earth’s hottest day on record, according to the University of Maine’s Climate Change Institute, with the average temperature hitting 62.92 degrees Fahrenheit, or 17.18 degrees Celsius. 

The most recent record? Monday, July 3, 2023, with an average of 62.62 degrees Fahrenheit, or 17.01 degrees Celsius.  

Stay hydrated and don’t forget your sunscreen! (The Hill) 

Police have the Philadelphia mass shooter in custody: 

The suspect in a mass shooting in Philadelphia that left five people dead is set to be arraigned today. 

Kimbrady Carriker, 40, is accused of killing four adults and a teenager and injuring two small children. The alleged shooter now faces charges of murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault and simple assault. (The Hill) 

🐥 Notable tweets 

Well done – VP Harris handles a grilling: 

Vice President Harris tweeted a photo of herself at the helm of a grill, cooking up hamburgers and hot dogs for the Fourth of July in California. 

“Happy Fourth of July!” she tweeted, along with the pic of her and second gentleman Doug Emhoff. 

Texas congressman reflects on cancer diagnosis a year later: 

Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) shared his heart-wrenching cancer story on Twitter on the anniversary of discovering his diagnosis – and the incredible role a boar played.  

“That boar may have saved my life,” Castro tweeted. 

Castro’s since retweeted several people’s cancer stories. 

⏱ On tap 

The House and Senate are out this week and should be holding events to hear from constituents in their districts, as it’s technically a “district work period” (If they aren’t let me know!). President Biden is in D.C., and Vice President Harris is in California. 

• 10 a.m. President Biden received the Presidential Daily Briefing at the White House. 
• 2 p.m.: Biden will have a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson of Sweden. 
• 2:15 p.m.: Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre will brief reporters. 

All times Eastern. 

LOOKING AHEAD ⏩:  

• Biden will travel to South Carolina on Thursday to talk clean energy efforts. 
• Harris will travel to Arizona to visit the Gila River Indian Community and tout the administration’s efforts for indigenous communities. 

🍏 In lighter news 

Today is National Apple Turnover Day! Why share a whole pie when you can have one of your own? You can find apple turnovers at most pastry/coffee shops or you can make your own. It’s a great post-Independence Day treat — as American as apple (hand) pie! 

And because you made it this far, check out this video that 💯 gives me anxiety over just how close this guy is to an alligator. Seriously, don’t feed the gators! 🐊