Tipsheet: Dem Senate hopes hinge on Trump tide

View in your browser     Dem Senate hopes hinge on Trump tide BY ALEXANDER BOLTON  Democratic and Republican lawmakers believe next year’s battle for the Senate majority largely will hinge on the presidential race — and who wins the Democratic Party’s nomination. Democrats think they have a shot at winning back the Senate and unified control of Congress, but only if their voters show up in mass to sweep Trump from office. “It depends on who our candidate is,” said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.). “We don’t win the Senate if we don’t win the presidency. Period. Stop. Getting that choice right is more important than anything else.” Read the full story here     Trump focuses July 4 speech on celebrating armed forces BY MAGGIE MILLER AND BRETT SAMUELS President Trump on Thursday delivered a speech heavy on military imagery and light on political rhetoric during his "Salute to America" event to mark Independence Day, capping off weeks of controversy with a largely uncontroversial appearance. Read the full story here     Trump avoids politics — but not the rain — at Salute to America event BY OLIVIA BEAVERS AND BRETT SAMUELS President Trump avoided infusing partisan rhetoric into his rainy July 4 speech on the National Mall, though he still received energetic applause from a drenched crowd of supporters. Read the full story here     Trump celebrates after Amash quits GOP: 'Great news for the Republican Party' BY TAL AXELROD  President Trump on Thursday celebrated news that Rep. Justin Amash(Mich.), one of his most vocal critics in the House, was leaving the Republican Party, saying it was “great news” for the party. Read the full story here       2020 Democrats connect with voters over beer BY ALICIA COHN    A number of Democrats running for president are turning to beer to appeal to voters, hoping to boost their populist credentials and stand out in a large field of more than 20 candidates. Read the full story here     Pro- and anti-Trump crowds endure DC storms ahead of July 4 event BY OLIVIA BEAVERS  A determined Fourth of July crowd in Washington, D.C., braved several hours of rain as they awaited President Trump’s Thursday “Salute to America”speech on the National Mall.  Read the full story here     Biden: 'I don't have to atone' in busing controversy BY TAL AXELROD Former Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday dismissed the growing controversy surrounding his past stance on school busing, saying he’s been a staunch supporter for civil rights throughout his political career.  Read the full story here     Pence praises 'generous' US immigration system at July 4 naturalization ceremony BY MAGGIE MILLERS  Vice President Pence said Thursday that the U.S. has the "most generous system of legal immigration in the history of world" while speaking at a July 4 naturalization ceremony at which 44 people became U.S. citizens. Read the full story here     GOP lawmaker calls for Amash to leave Republican Conference BY TAL AXELROD  Rep. Mark Walker (R-N.C.) called on Rep. Justin Amash (Mich.) to leave the House Republican Conference after he announced Thursday he is leaving the GOP.  Read the full story here     6.4 magnitude earthquake hits Southern California BY TAL AXELROD  An earthquake hit large swaths of Southern California on Thursday. Read the full story here     Texas may cost Trump 2020 BY KRISTIN TATE Opinion | There is a significant and growing probability that Texas will become the most consequential swing state in presidential and senatorial elections to come. A campaign in the Lone Star State could cost President Trump the White House next year, even if Texas voters will ultimately choose him. Read the full story here     The longest expansion, but definitely not the greatest BY EVAN KRAFT Opinion | This month the U.S. economy recorded a milestone: the economy has now expanded longer than ever before. Read the full story here     CNN: California earthquake generates over 100 aftershocks BY JAY CROFT and BRADEN GOYETTE The strongest earthquake to hit Southern California in nearly 20 years prompted one city to declare a state of emergency Thursday, and shook residents from Las Vegas to Orange County. Read the full story here     USA Today: Coast Guard searches for Carnival crew member STAFF REPORT Coast Guard 7th District watchstanders received a report from the Carnival Victory that a crew member fell overboard. Read the full story here     Bloomberg: What economists are saying ahead of the jobs report BY JEFF KEARNS Economists expect Friday’s U.S. payrolls data -- a critical input for Federal Reserve officials meeting at the end of July -- will show job growth recovered to a pace consistent with a still-strong labor market, albeit not as robust as last year. Read the full story here     ABC News: Trump's 'Salute to America' July 4th celebration not without controversy BY MERIDITH MCGRAW and ELIZABETH THOMAS On the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, President Donald Trump delivered his "Salute to America" speech that side-stepped politics and focused on the military, American history and cultural moments that ranged from the Revolutionary War to the birth of rock 'n' roll. Read the full story here     The Washington Post: Administration scrambles to save citizenship question on census BY TARA BAHRAMPOUR, JOSH DAWSEY, MATT ZAPOTOSKY and WILLIAM WAN Spurred on by President Trump, government lawyers scrambled Thursday to find a legal path to add a controversial citizenship question to the 2020 Census, despite their conclusions in recent days that no such avenue exists. Read the full story here   Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up for The Hill Tipsheet       Forward this Tipsheet     You might like         Privacy Policy  |  Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe  |  Email to a friend  |  Sign Up for Other Newsletters   The Hill 1625 K Street, NW 9th Floor, Washington DC 20006 ©2016 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc.