Capitol View for July 16

Political conventions are tightly choreographed shows — from the speakers to the words they say to the signs delegates hold to the cameo appearances. The opening day of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee had all that . Ever the showman, former President Donald Trump electrified the arena by appearing in the VIP box just days after being targeted by a would-be assassin. He entered to Lee Greenwood singing a rendition of "God Bless the USA." Trump's right ear where he was grazed by a bullet was bandaged. Crowned the GOP nominee a third time just hours earlier, Trump pumped his fist, reminiscent of the image that will live in history from the weekend rally where he survived a gunman’s bullet. The crowd chanted "fight, fight, fight," as Trump did on Saturday and "We love Trump." He was joined by his newly-minted running mate J.D. Vance, an Ohio senator. House Speaker Mike Johnson was also near Trump, signaling the governing alliance that could be in store next January.

Donald Trump waited until the RNC had begun to announce another Midwestern ‘nce’ as his running mate — eight years after he went with then-Indiana Gov. Mike Pence on his path to the White House. Of course, Pence fell out of favor in Trump’s world after refusing to stop certification of their 2020 loss. Vance, the ex-Marine and author of the best-selling “Hillbilly Elegy” and a venture capitalist prior to his political career, was greeted with cheers from conservatives as someone with a life story that might appeal to working-class voters. Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., praised Vance as a skilled communicator. Here’s a primer on the 39-year-old Vance, who was once a critic of Trump’s but has since become one of his most vocal defenders and advocates. Democrats are already criticizing Vance’s stance on abortion and his reaction to the Jan. 6 Capitol uprising.

Minnesota convention delegates gave Vance positive reviews. MPR’s Mark Zdechlik, who is in Milwaukee for us this week, spoke to several of them. Svetlana Jones, who is 18, said Vance's relatively young age will bolster Trump's chances this fall. "As someone who's young and this is my first year voting I also appreciate that he's younger and I think you'll have a unique perspective coming from that." David Fitzsimmons, a delegate and seasoned political operative in Minnesota, echoed that sentiment. "It brings youth and excitement. I think he brings a working-class feeling of the party that's really come out in the last decade especially, and you know, I think he exemplifies that."

Who is J.D. Vance? James David Vance, who is 39, is a Marine Corps veteran, author and former venture capitalist from Middletown, Ohio. He has represented the state in the U.S. Senate since January 2023. The Yale Law School graduate and investment banker first rose to national prominence in 2016 with the publication of his memoir “Hillbilly Elegy,” a bestselling account of his upbringing — and the plight of the white working class — in Appalachia, plagued by poverty, abuse and addiction. While he was once outspoken of his dislike for Trump, tides have changed. Vance even went so far as to blame the rhetoric of the Biden administration for Trump’s attempted assassination at a Pennsylvania rally over the weekend.

Successful campaigns are about addition. Republicans say they’re expecting to make inroads into key Democratic constituencies this fall. They’re tailoring messages to Black voters and rank-and-file union members in particular. Speakers on stage at the RNC so far were part of that push, including several lawmakers of color, conservative GenZ influencers and the president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters union last night. Politico reports that the union leader, Sean O’Brien, has also asked to speak at the Democratic National Convention next month.

Speaking of addition, Trump could be in for a windfall of campaign financial help. Reports are that Elon Musk, the uber-rich entrepreneur who owns Tesla and X, is on the cusp of donating to a super PAC on behalf of Trump. He endorsed Trump after the weekend assassination attempt. Musk said he will not donate directly to the campaign but he’d be almost more potent giving to an outside group that wouldn’t be bound by tight donation limits. New FEC rules allow super PACS to coordinate more closely with campaigns than previously permitted.

Trump got a major legal victory as the curtain went up at the convention in Milwaukee. A federal judge in Florida, appointed by Trump during his first term, tossed out special counsel Jack Smith’s case over mishandling of classified documents after Trump’s presidency. Smith plans to appeal but it will make it extremely unlikely that the case goes to trial anytime soon.

Public pressure on Democratic President Joe Biden to step aside as his party’s nominee has waned after the weekend tragedy and amid the start of the RNC. But private discussions remain very much active. Biden sat for an NBC News interview yesterday, in which he reiterated his plans to remain in the race . “I’m old but I’m only three years older than Trump,” Biden told NBC’s Lester Holt. Biden was also asked about comments he made in a recent fundraising call (prior to the assassination attempt) suggesting that Trump be put in a bull’s eye. Biden said it was a “mistake” to use the word but was calling for closer scrutiny of Trump’s record and plans for a second stint in the White House.

Gov. Tim Walz is taking another trade trip across the Atlantic Ocean. He announced yesterday that he will lead a trade mission to Ireland and the Netherlands. The DFL governor says the weeklong trip in November will give Minnesota business leaders, along with agriculture officials and higher education leaders, a chance to show off their work. According to the Walz administration, it will be the first time that a Minnesota governor will be heading a trade mission to the two countries. About 35 businesses and organizations are expected to send representatives. The visit will be centered in Dublin and Amsterdam. The Netherlands and Ireland represent Minnesota's seventh and eighth top export markets, respectively. The Department of Employment and Economic Development is fielding applications from business and civic leaders that want to accompany Walz on the mission.

Finally, a prominent Minnesota jurist is about to be captured in paint. The Minnesota Supreme Court is seeking proposals for an artist to paint a portrait of former Chief Justice Lorie Gildea, who retired last year. The portrait would go up alongside others on display in the Minnesota Judicial Center in St. Paul. According to the solicitation, the earliest portrait was painted in the 1890s. The 50-by-32-inch portrait “is to be painted in artist’s oils or acrylics, on stretched and primed artist’s linen support.” Proposals are due by the end of August and the painting is sought by May 2025. The artist will be paid up to $25,000 but that amount includes the commission, portrait and frame.