Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* During his campaign rally in New Mexico last night, Donald Trump suggested CNN contributor Steve Cortes doesn’t “look” Hispanic enough, before asking him, “Who do you love more, the country or Hispanics? I don’t know. I may have to go for the Hispanics, to be honest with you. We got a lot of Hispanics.” It was as odd as it sounds.
* Speaking of the president, he’ll be in California today — a state Trump has routinely panned — for a fundraising swing. He can expect to see more than a few protesters.
* In the race for the Democratic presidential nomination four years ago, the progressive Working Families Party threw its support to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). This year, it’s supporting Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).
* There’s still some question as to when New York will hold its Democratic presidential primary, but in the meantime, the latest Siena poll suggests it’ll be a close contest: former Vice President Joe Biden (D) leads the field with 22%, followed by Warren at 17% and Sanders at 15%. No other candidate tops 5% in the poll. * Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) hasn’t yet made a splash in the 2020 presidential race, and he didn’t qualify for last week’s debate, but the Coloradan is nevertheless making a seven-figure ad buy, with an emphasis on Iowa. * The Democratic National Committee announced the details of the upcoming debate schedule the other day, and the next event will be held at Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio, in mid-October. The debate, hosted by CNN and the New York Times, will likely be another back-to-back event, with 11 candidates having qualified to participate.
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
