Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) continues to make detailed policy proposals the cornerstone of her 2020 presidential campaign, including unveiling a new plan today on addressing consolidation in the agribusiness industry.
* In a bit of a surprise, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), a contender for the Democratic presidential nomination, suggested to MSNBC’s Chris Hayes last night that he will oppose a new proposal from House Democrats to make incremental progressive improvements to the Affordable Care Act.
* Though it’s likely the Democratic presidential candidates will release their tax returns, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) yesterday became the first of the 2020 contenders to release her 2018 returns.
* Ahead of a possible U.S. Senate campaign in Alabama, Rep. Mo Brooks (R) thought it’d be a good idea to read a passage on the House floor from Adolf Hitler’s book, “Mein Kampf,” about the utility of “colossal untruths.” The right-wing congressman was apparently trying to make some kind of attack against Democrats that I didn’t quite understand.
* Though Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) has generally had little trouble getting re-elected, the controversial Republican has lately been acting like an incumbent who’s worried about his next electoral test. * With Sen. Tom Udall (D) retiring in New Mexico, Rep. Ben Ray Lujan (D) is now seen as his party’s top contender for the seat in 2020. Lujan is perhaps best known for serving as chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in the last two election cycles. * Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) is apparently still weighing a 2020 presidential bid, and said this week that he’d make a firm decision “in the next few weeks.” * And in South Carolina, where there was a state Senate special election yesterday, Dwight Loftis (R) prevailed over Tina Belge (D), 56% to 44%. The 12-point margin was closer than expected: this is a district Donald Trump carried by more than 30 points.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past." Recommended
