Americans Favor Primary Delays, Survey Finds: Campaign Update

(Bloomberg) -- More than two-thirds of voters say recent delays of presidential primaries were necessary and that they would feel uncomfortable going to a polling place, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center.

Democrats were 7 percentage points more likely than Republicans to say the primary delays were necessary and about 10 points more likely to say they would not be comfortable voting, the study conducted March 19-24 showed.

Fifteen states have already postponed primaries amid the coronavirus pandemic, which has led to statewide stay-at-home orders across the country.

One exception is Wisconsin, which is still set to hold its primary on Tuesday. A judge has intervened, however, giving absentee voters more time to send in their ballots. On Friday, Governor Tony Evers said he was calling the legislature into session to vote on canceling the in-person vote and creating an all mail-in vote.

There were some differences among voters. Seventy percent of women said they would be uncomfortable visiting a polling place, while only 56% of men felt the same way. Hispanic voters were 10 points more likely to say they were uncomfortable than black and white voters.

Wisconsin Primary Results Delayed for a Week (1:10 p.m.)

The results of Wisconsin’s primary on Tuesday can’t be released until a week after the vote, when the deadline for absentee ballots expires, a judge ruled Friday.

On Thursday, a federal judge rejected requests to delay the state’s presidential primary, but extended the deadline for absentee voting by a week to compensate for the coronavirus pandemic. The ruling Friday prohibits clerks from providing results until after the April 13 deadline to submit mail-in votes.

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers declared a state of emergency on March 12, but both he and Republican leaders in the legislature opposed any move to delay Tuesday’s primary.

Several states have postponed primaries amid the coronavirus pandemic, including Indiana, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Ohio and Connecticut. Wisconsin has more than 1,800 cases of COVID-19. -- Emma Kinery

New Buttigieg PAC to Help Elect Young Democrats (1:03 p.m.)

Former presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg announced the formation of a new political action committee designed to help elect Democratic candidates aligned with the generational change pitch he campaigned on.

Buttigieg, 38, officially converted his campaign into the “Win the Era” PAC, echoing the slogan of his presidential bid.

“The work of electing a forward-thinking generation of Democratic candidates never ends,” Buttigieg spokeswoman Lis Smith said in a statement. “Pete will do his part by building and leading the Win the Era PAC as we get closer to the November election.”

Buttigieg dropped out of the Democratic primary race just before Super Tuesday after a distant fourth-place finish in South Carolina. He quickly endorsed Joe Biden as the moderate candidates coalesced behind the former vice president’s bid. Buttigieg won the Iowa Caucuses and raised more than $100 million for his campaign, becoming one of the Democratic Party’s most prolific fundraisers.

The Buttigieg campaign had $10.3 million in the bank at the end of February, shortly before he dropped out of the race. -- Tyler Pager

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