🎯 Axios PM: Harris' red-state strategy

Plus: Hottest basketball tix | Tuesday, October 22, 2024

Open in app View in browser   Presented By Walmart   Axios PM By Mike Allen · Oct 22, 2024 Good afternoon. Today's newsletter, edited by Sam Baker, is 641 words, a 2.5-min. read. Thanks to Sheryl Miller for copy editing.     1 big thing: Harris' red-state swing   Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks at a campaign rally in Madison, Wis., today. Photo: Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP via Getty Images Vice President Harris and some of her campaign's top surrogates are fanning out beyond the battleground states this week, with stops planned in Texas, Kentucky and Florida. None of these red states are seriously in play, Axios' Zachary Basu writes. But in the final two weeks before the election, the Harris campaign is using these detours to spotlight one of Democrats' strongest issues: abortion rights. 🚌 Driving the news: Harris will hold a campaign rally Friday in Houston, where she'll be joined by women who have been impacted by Texas' near-total ban on abortion. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will speak Wednesday at a campaign reception in Louisville, Ky. And Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff will deliver remarks Wednesday at a rally in Florida, where Democrats hope a statewide abortion referendum will help juice turnout. 💡 What they're saying: Harris senior adviser David Plouffe told reporters the campaign has no illusions about winning Texas, but the goal of the VP's visit is to "paint the picture of what could happen in this country — in the rest of the states — if Donald Trump is elected president." "We're diverting out of the battlegrounds because we think it'll help us in battlegrounds," Plouffe said. Go deeper.     2. 🏈 NCAA president slams "synthetic NIL"   Dan Primack interviews Charlie Baker today in Manhattan. Photo: Sam Popp for Axios   Collectives of wealthy donors that funnel money to college athletes are ultimately hurting many students' nascent careers, NCAA President Charlie Baker told Dan Primack this afternoon at the Axios BFD dealmaker summit in Manhattan. How it works: The NCAA allows students to profit from the use of their name, image and likeness — known as NIL deals. Donors and boosters often form collectives to raise money and broker brand deals for athletes at a particular school. 💸 But those groups often entice student-athletes to leave their existing program only to leave them hanging without a scholarship, much less an NIL deal, Baker said. "They get a lot of kids in the transfer portal with a lot of stories that involve false promises, misrepresentations and all sorts of other things. There's basically no rules governing these things," Baker said. 🔮 What's next: Due to a legal settlement, schools will soon be able to pay student-athletes directly, and the NCAA will have more enforcement authority over collectives. Keep reading.     A message from Walmart Investing in American-made products to support U.S. manufacturing     More than two-thirds of Walmart's product spend is on products made, grown or assembled in America. The impact: Local businesses like Proud Source Water in Mackay, Idaho, are able to grow more, hire more and help their communities thrive. Explore the impact of Walmart's $350 billion investment.     3. Catch me up   Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attend an informal dinner today on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia. Photo: Alexander Kryazhev via AP 🇷🇺 Russian President Vladimir Putin is hosting Chinese leader Xi Jinping, India's Narendra Modi and other world leaders at a summit that serves as a symbolic counter to the West's influence. Go deeper. 🎧 Former President Trump plans to appear on Joe Rogan's podcast. Go deeper. ⚖️ Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries was arrested today on charges of sex trafficking and engaging in interstate prostitution, following years of sexual misconduct allegations. Go deeper.     4. 🏀 NBA's hottest tickets   Data: SeatGeek; Chart: Axios Visuals Getting a seat at Madison Square Garden to see the newly revamped Knicks will cost you a pretty penny. But fans in many of the NBA's smaller markets can still see some great basketball for a reasonable price — at least by comparison. By the numbers: One resale ticket for a Knicks home game will cost $447, on average, according to price data from SeatGeek — the highest in the league. 🐐 The Los Angeles Lakers aren't far behind, at an average of $427. Fans in Denver, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Houston and several other cities can see their very exciting teams for less than half that. What's next: The NBA season begins tonight ... See the schedule.     A message from Walmart This small business is revitalizing its hometown ‐ with Walmart's help     Proud Source Water became a Walmart supplier in 2021. Today, their team has grown 50%, and they're the largest employer in Mackay, Idaho. What this means: With Walmart, small businesses can grow ‐ and support their communities. Learn how Walmart is helping create 750,000 U.S. manufacturing jobs.   Are you a fan of this email format? Your essential communications — to staff, clients and other stakeholders — can have the same style. Axios HQ, a powerful platform, will help you do it.   Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Advertise with us. Axios, PO Box 101060, Arlington VA 22201   You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from Axios. To stop receiving this newsletter, unsubscribe or manage your email preferences.   Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get Axios in your inbox.   Follow Axios on social media: