Welcome to The Hill’s Campaign Report, your daily rundown on all the latest news in the 2020 presidential, Senate and House races. Did someone forward this to you? Click here to subscribe.

We’re Julia Manchester, Max Greenwood and Jonathan Easley. Here’s what we’re watching today on the campaign trail.

LEADING THE DAY:

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Rep. Justin Amash Justin AmashCentrist Democrats 'strongly considering' discharge petition on GOP PPP bill On The Trail: How Nancy Pelosi could improbably become president History is on Edward Snowden's side: Now it's time to give him a full pardon MORE (I-Mich.) is moving closer to a third-party run for president. The congressman announced over Twitter that he’s exploring a run for the Libertarian Party’s nomination.

Amash has been a consistent critic of President Trump Donald John TrumpOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Pelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare Trump mocks Biden appearance, mask use ahead of first debate MORE, and he was the first Republican member of Congress to support impeachment proceedings against him last year.

Shortly after he announced his support for impeachment, Amash left the GOP and registered as an Independent. If he were to register now as a Libertarian, he would become the first-ever Libertarian member of Congress.

Libertarians are ecstatic, and they believe that Amash gives them their best shot at relevancy in 2020.

“A huge slice of the electorate is winnable for Amash: voters that reject both a demographic death-spiraling GOP Trump cult and a Democratic Party caving into strident, far left demands," said John Vaught LeBeaume, a veteran of former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson Gary Earl JohnsonWhat the numbers say about Trump's chances at reelection Presidential race tightens in Minnesota as Trump plows resources into state The Hill's Campaign Report: Biden condemns violence, blames Trump for fomenting it l Bitter Mass. primaries reach the end l Super PAC spending set to explode MORE’s Libertarian Party presidential run.

"But to do that, Amash needs to welcome in a diverse, flexible coalition of Americans who value both the social and economic freedoms that both major parties seem bent on destroying," he added. "No purity tests. Americans are exhausted of all that.”

But every cycle starts out with high hopes for third party candidates who usually fade into the background by Election Day.

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The first order of business for the Libertarian Party is making the debate stage, which would require him to be polling at 15 percent nationally.

In 2016, Johnson reached around the 9 percent national support mark, but otherwise was never a threat to be on the debate stage. The Johnson-Bill Weld William (Bill) WeldRalph Gants, chief justice of Massachusetts supreme court, dies at 65 The Hill's Campaign Report: Biden visits Kenosha | Trump's double-voting suggestion draws fire | Facebook clamps down on election ads Biden picks up endorsements from nearly 100 Republicans MORE Libertarian ticket earned 4.5 million votes, tripling the party’s previous record. Johnson received 9.3 percent of the vote in his home state of New Mexico.

Could Amash have a similar impact on Michigan, which figures to be one of the most hotly contests battlegrounds in 2020?

No one seems to know who Amash’s presence hurts more.

There is a case to be made that Amash, a conservative, would pull more voters from the right who are tired of Trump.

But some Democrats are worried that Amash will draw from former Vice President Joe Biden Joe BidenOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Trump mocks Biden appearance, mask use ahead of first debate Trump attacks Omar for criticizing US: 'How did you do where you came from?' MORE.

The argument is that Republicans who are fed up with Trump won’t vote for him anyway, but might vote for Biden if they don’t have a conservative alternative. Now they, have the conservative alternative in Amash.

— Jonathan Easley

READ MORE:

Tal Axelrod: Amash launches exploratory committee for presidential run.

FROM THE TRAIL:

A split screen is forming between the Democratic and Republican national conventions this summer, The Hill’s Amie Parnes and Jonathan report. Democrats have already delayed their convention by a month amid concerns over the coronavirus pandemic. And some in the party remain skeptical that an in-person convention is still possible, suggesting that the Democratic National Committee (DNC) may have to move the gathering online. Republicans, meanwhile, say it’s “full steam ahead” for their convention in Charlotte, N.C., in August.

Biden scored an easy win in Ohio’s Democratic presidential primary on Tuesday, finishing with more than 72 percent of the vote, Tal Reports. Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersButtigieg stands in as Pence for Harris's debate practice Bernie Sanders warns of 'nightmare scenario' if Trump refuses election results Harris joins women's voter mobilization event also featuring Pelosi, Gloria Steinem, Jane Fonda MORE (I-Vt.), who suspended his campaign earlier this month but will still appear on the ballot in the remaining primary states, placed second with less than 17 percent of the vote.

The decision to cancel New York’s June presidential primary is sparking a furor among progressives, who argue that the move denies their wing of the Democratic Party the chance to voice their preference and amass delegates ahead of the Democratic National Convention in August, The Hill’s Julia Manchester reports.

Rep. Jim Clyburn James (Jim) Enos ClyburnAzar to testify before House coronavirus subcommittee Attacks against the police are organized and violent Clark rolls out endorsements in assistant Speaker race MORE (D-S.C.), the highest-ranking black member of Congress and a prominent supporter of Biden, said on Wednesday that it’s “not a must” for the former vice president to choose a black woman as his running mate, Tal reports. “I think having a woman on the ticket is a must,” Clyburn said in an interview with NBC News. “I’m among those who feel that it would be great for him to select a woman of color. But that is not a must.”





PERSPECTIVES:

Scott Goodstein: “How Democrats can help Biden make the sale.”

J.T. Young: “Ugly duckling presidents and black swan economics.”

Albert Hunt: “Nervous Democrats are sweating the small stuff.”

FROM CONGRESS & THE STATES:

Rep. Joyce Beatty Joyce Birdson BeattySharpton, police reform take center stage at National Mall Sanders raised over 0,000 for candidates in Tuesday primaries The Hill's Campaign Report: Progressives raise expectations ahead of big primary night MORE (D-Ohio) fended off a primary challenge in Ohio’s 3rd congressional district on Tuesday, defeating liberal attorney Morgan Harper, whose bid for the seat was heavily funded by progressive outside groups, Tal reports.

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Democrat Kweisi Mfume won the special election on Tuesday to replace the late Rep. Elijah Cummings Elijah Eugene CummingsBlack GOP candidate accuses Behar of wearing black face in heated interview Overnight Health Care: US won't join global coronavirus vaccine initiative | Federal panel lays out initial priorities for COVID-19 vaccine distribution | NIH panel: 'Insufficient data' to show treatment touted by Trump works House Oversight Democrats to subpoena AbbVie in drug pricing probe MORE (D-Md.) in the House, Tal reports. Mfume, who calls himself “a progressive moderate,” held the seat for five terms before leaving in 1996 to become the CEO of the NAACP.

Desiree Tims, an activist and former aide to Sen. Sherod Brown (D-Ohio), won the Democratic primary to represent Ohio’s 10th District on Tuesday, setting her up for a general election showdown against longtime Rep. Mike Turner Michael Ray TurnerHispanic Caucus campaign arm endorses slate of non-Hispanic candidates Overnight Defense: Trump announces 'snapback' of sanctions on Iran | Uniformed personnel at Dem convention under investigation | Netanyahu calls reported F-35 deal 'fake news' Democrats go big on diversity with new House recruits MORE (R-Ohio), The Hill’s Aris Folley reports.

Former presidential candidate Andrew Yang Andrew YangDoctor who allegedly assaulted Evelyn Yang arrested on federal charges The Hill's Campaign Report: Biden weighs in on police shootings | Who's moderating the debates | Trump trails in post-convention polls Buttigieg launches his own podcast MORE is suing the New York State Board of Elections over its decision to cancel the state’s June 23 primary because of the coronavirus pandemic, The Hill’s Justine Coleman reports. Yang suspended his campaign in February. But the lawsuit argues that he still met the requirements to remain on the ballot in New York and the decision to cancel the primary “denies voters due process and denies voters the right to vote, and therefore must be invalidated removing the authority for the Defendant to take the actions complained of herein.”

MONEY WATCH:

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) booked more than $30 million in fall advertisements across four states, as it looks to expand its electoral map ahead of the November elections, The Hill’s Max Greenwood reports.

Sen. Thom Tillis Thomas (Thom) Roland TillisThe Hill's Campaign Report: GOP set to ask SCOTUS to limit mail-in voting OVERNIGHT ENERGY: EPA head questions connection of climate change to natural disasters | Pebble Mine executives eye future expansion in recorded conversations | EPA questions science linking widely used pesticide to brain damage in children Liberal super PAC launches ads targeting vulnerable GOP senators over SCOTUS fight MORE (R-N.C.) is launching a five-figure digital ad buy touting his efforts to respond to the coronavirus pandemic, his campaign announced on Wednesday. The North Carolina Republican is one of the party’s most vulnerable incumbents facing reelection in November. Here’s a look at his latest ad spot.

POLL WATCH:

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ECONOMIST/YOUGOV – NATIONAL PRESIDENTIAL

Biden: 47 percent (-1)

Trump: 41 percent (-1)

EMERSON COLLEGE – NATIONAL PRESIDENTIAL

Biden: 48 percent (-5)

Trump: 42 percent (-5)

PUBLIC POLICY POLLING – TEXAS PRESIDENTIAL

Biden: 47 percent

Trump: 46 percent

MARK YOUR CALENDARS:

(Keep in mind these dates could change because of COVID-19.)

May 2:

Kansas Democratic primary

May 12:

Nebraska primaries

May 19:

Oregon primaries

May 22:

Hawaii Democratic primary

June 2:

Delaware primaries

District of Columbia primaries

Indiana primaries

Maryland primaries

Montana primaries

New Mexico primaries

Pennsylvania primaries

Rhode Island primaries

South Dakota primaries

June 9:

Georgia primaries

West Virginia primaries

June 23:

Kentucky primaries

July 7:

New Jersey primaries

July 11:

Louisiana

July 14:

Alabama Republican Senate primary runoff

August 11:

Connecticut primary

August 17-20:

Democratic National Convention

August 24-27:

Republican National Convention

We’ll see you all tomorrow for the latest campaign news and updates.