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Suffolk Legis. Monica Martinez, who two years ago lost the Democratic ballot line in a petition battle, is facing a new petition challenge from backers of her primary foe Angela Ramos who say she lacks the minium 500 signatures.

But Luis Montes, Islip Democratic chairman, said Ramos petition challenge is a lot of nonsense. Montes said the cover sheet cites only 523 objections to Martinezs 1,046 petition signatures adding thats not enough to knock her off the ballot.

A spokesman for Ramos campaign later acknowledged there may have been a mistake on the cover sheet filed with the Suffolk Board of Elections. He claimed the correct number of objections listed in the challenge itself totals more than 550, enough to have Martinezs petitions disqualified. The spokesman added the campaign was looking for a way to rectify the problem, but could not assess its chances.

Zachary Perez and Rose Rodriguez, Ramos supporters who filed the objections, said the county lawmakers petitions included signatures that were improperly witnessed, and others from people who live outside the district or are not voters.

Ramos, whose husband is Assemb. Phil Ramos (D-Brentwood), filed more than 3,200 signatures. Ramos has raised $84,300, but $60,000 came from personal loans she and her husband made to the campaign. She has spent $49,740 for political consultants, the Advance Group, for campaign work including collecting petition signatures.

Ramos challenge comes after Martinez in 2015 as a freshman lawmaker, was forced to withdraw from the Democratic line after opponents claimed she and her aides personally witnessed petition signatures where individuals signed for themselves and family members. Critics at the time said Martinezs actions should have led to fraud charges. Martinez won running on the Working Families and Independence Party lines.

Before the error was discovered, Ramos acknowledged that Martinez did not personally witness any petition signatures this year. She learned her lesson, but added, Due to her track record, I think theres a good chance we can knock her off the ballot.

Montes, a former Ramos aide and now Martinezs campaign manager, said the challenge shows they are not ready for prime time to take on Monica. He said the partys petitions for Martinez were gathered by committee members with years of experience who know how to do the job correctly. Martinez also is running on the Independence Party and Womens Equality Party lines.

See more here:
Suffolk Democrat Martinez faces petition challenges - Newsday

Just after 9 a.m. ET Monday, the President tweeted, "Sleazy Adam Schiff, the totally biased Congressman looking into "Russia," spends all of his time on television pushing the Dem loss excuse!"

About 10 minutes earlier, Fox News' "Fox & Friends" had played a brief clip of Schiff on TV over the weekend, previewing his questions for Trump's son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner, who was set to speak to House and Senate investigators Monday.

Schiff's role on the House intelligence committee is a high-profile position that has granted him a leading role in Congress' efforts to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 election and any potential collusion by the Trump campaign.

And Schiff -- who regularly appears on television including CNN to provide updates on his committee's investigation, as well as criticize the Trump administration -- leaned into the latest showdown with Trump.

"With respect Mr. President, the problem is how often you watch TV, and that your comments and actions are beneath the dignity of the office," Schiff tweeted back.

Read this article:
Trump calls House intel's top Democrat 'sleazy' - CNN International

Lt. Governor Ralph Northam gives, Ashton Gardner, from Coborn, Virginia, a neurological examination during Remote Area Medical clinic, July 22, 2017, in Wise, Virgina. Raymond Thompson Jr. / for NBC News

But Brock, a former TV star as co-host of "Wild Kingdom" who at 80 still looks camera-ready, wants every politician to see the failures of the countrys healthcare system with their own eyes.

"Im actually convinced that if President Trump were to come to one of these big events, he would say to himself, 'Wow, I should do something about this,' " Brock said. "Theyre all cheering for him now, but theyre all expecting something to change for the better. And its not, for now, at least."

This was Northams fifth time volunteering at a free clinic, which he said gives him a chance to practice the field medicine skills he honed in the Army during the first Gulf War.

As he wound his way between open-air dentist chairs where people were getting their teeth pulled, doctors and nurses in scrubs kept coming up to greet "Dr. Northam." The patients didnt seem to notice or care about the VIP in their midst.

Its a two-and-half hour drive in any direction to the nearest county that went for Hillary Clinton last year. She didnt even crack 18 percent of the vote in Wise County, even though her husband won it twice 20 years ago.

Trump is still popular among many at the clinic, but there's also a deep cynicism about all of politics.

"Everyone says they'll help this area. No one ever does," said Aaron Breedlove, who recently moved over the border to Tennessee where the economy is a bit better.

"Theres no jobs, all the stores are shut down," said Crystal Phillips, pointing to the decline of the coal industry. "And they wonder why all the kids wind up on drugs or stealing."

Northam doesnt need southwest Virginia to win the state next year, but as a veteran from Virginias rural Eastern Shore who admitted to voting for George W. Bush, he thinks he can improve Democrats margins outside the states population centers.

"I feel like if anybody can get out and listen to these folks and let them know were here to help them, I can do that," he said. "Most people, especially parents, trust their pediatrician."

The rest is here:
They Voted Trump and Need Health Care. A Democrat-Doctor Volunteers - NBCNews.com

July 24, 2017, 9:14 a.m.

Congressional Democrats launched a progressive-leaning economic agenda Monday as they try to wrestle the populist mantle from President Trump ahead of the 2018 midterm election.

Leaders of the House and Senate -- along with top lawmakers, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) -- believe their "Better Deal" platform of higher wages, child care support and job training will appeal to working families and those who abandoned the party last year to elect Trump.

"In the last two elections, Democrats, including in the Senate, failed to articulate a strong, bold economic program for the middle class and those working hard to get there," wrote Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) in an op-ed in the New York Times.

"We also failed to communicate our values to show that we were on the side of working people, not the special interests. We will not repeat the same mistake. This is the start of a new vision for the party."

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi pointed her criticism at Trump and Republicans, who control both the House and Senate, for spending their first six months of GOP control "trying to raise Americans health costs to fund tax breaks for billionaires."

"Democrats have a better approach," she wrote in the Washington Post.

Democrats headed to rural Berryville, Va., which is just the kind of outside-the-Beltway swing district, now held by Republican Rep. Barbara Comstock, that Democrats hope to flip in the 2018 midterm.

Democrats need to pick up 24 seats to control the House, which some analysts believe is possible because the party in the White House tends to lose as many seats in midterm elections.

The "Better Deal" agenda is filled with the kind of populist rhetoricchampioned by Trump -- and progressive favorites Warren and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) -- as it promises policies that aimto appeal to voter unrest over corporate "monopolies" and the "rigged" economy. It promises a government "on the sides of all Americans, not just those at the top."

As the minority party, the plan is merely a blueprint for future governing, rather than a legislative to-do list.

Republicans, under Speaker Paul D. Ryan, presented a similar document last year -- "A Better Way" -- that was an aspirational check list of legislative goals to accomplish if in power.

Passing bills is a heavier political lift, but both parties use such documents as calling cards in the run up to the campaigns ahead.

"The feeling is that this is what we should be talking about," saidRep. Cheri Bustos(D-Ill.), part of the team that helped draft the document.

Bustos is that rare Democrat, among 12 in the House, who represents a districtwhere voters elected Trumpbut also gave the Democrat another term in Congress.

"They feel like folks in Washington see this whole thing as a game -- winners and losers -- at the expense of people back home," she said in an interview. "People have the feeling thatthings are stacked against them."

She added: "It's our message to build an Americawhere working people know we have their back."

Link:
Democrats unveil 'Better Deal' agenda as party tries to retake Trump's mantle on jobs, economy - Los Angeles Times

A Democrat aligned with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders announced Monday that he would run for the U.S. House of Representatives in Kansas third district, criticizing the districts representative, Republican Kevin Yoder, for voting with President Donald Trumps agenda.

Brent Welder, a labor attorney, is the latest Democrat to jump into the competitive third district race, along with health care advocate Andrea Ramsey. The partys 2016 nominee, Jay Sidie, has also indicated he would run and appeared at a Kansas Young Democrats convention earlier this month.

In an announcement video posted to Twitter Monday, Welder criticized corporate involvement in Washington and vowed not to take corporate political action committee money during his campaign.

I want to work for the people of Kansas third district, not Wall Street CEOs, he said in the video.

In the video, Welder touted his work as a labor lawyer and for former President Barack and Sanders, a 2016 Democratic presidential primary candidate. He invoked progressive ideas championed by Sanders and set forth a slate of policy priorities, including a $15 minimum hourly wage, elimination of tax exemptions for corporations and the wealthy and expanded access to healthcare.

Instead of cutting insurance for 22 million people, Ill work to get every woman, man and child in America the same health care that Congress gives themselves, Welder said, criticizing Republican attempts to repeal and replace Obamas Affordable Care Act.

Yoder voted along with Kansas three other House members to pass the American Health Care Act, House members version of a bill to repeal and replace the ACA.

Link:
Sanders-aligned Democrat announces campaign for Yoder's House seat - Topeka Capital Journal