Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* In a bit of a surprise, the U.S. Supreme Court today rejected Louisiana’s appeal seeking to prevent the state’s congressional map from being redrawn. As a result, the state will have to redraw its map, after lower courts concluded that the current district boundaries unlawfully dilute the influence of Black voters.
* A new NBC News poll found Donald Trump leading Gov. Ron DeSantis in the race for the Republicans’ presidential nomination, 51% to 22%. Making matters slightly worse for the former president’s opponents, Trump’s support is up five points from NBC News’ poll from April, while the Florida governor’s support has dropped nine points.
* As for the rest of the GOP field, the only other candidates above 3% in the NBC News poll were former Vice President Mike Pence at 7%, former Gov. Chris Christie at 5%, and former Ambassador Nikki Haley at 4%.
* As for Congress, the same NBC News poll found Democrats narrowly leading Republicans on the generic congressional ballot, 48% to 46%. In January, an NBC News poll showed the GOP with a narrow lead.
* In keeping with his recent rhetorical pattern, Trump campaigned in Michigan yesterday and told voters, “We don’t really have real elections, we have fake elections.”
* There was a bit of a surprise in Utah on Saturday, as Republican delegates chose Celeste Maloy over former Utah House Speaker Greg Hughes for the special election to replace retiring Rep. Chris Stewart. Maloy is a former staffer for the congressman. * In the 2024 presidential race, Republican Sen. Tim Scott has launched a new ad going after Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, of all people, because of comments she made last year about abortion bans having adverse economic effects. * Christie was booed late last week during his remarks at the Faith & Freedom Coalition conference, where attendees did not appreciate his criticisms of Trump. “You can boo all you want,” the New Jersey Republican responded. “But here’s the thing: Our faith teaches us that people have to take responsibility for what they do. People have to stand up and take accountability for what they do.” * And at the same event, right-wing North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson addressed speculation that he’s too radical to get elected governor next year. “The simple fact of the matter is, I’m not crazy,” the Republican told attendees. “Because normal [and] ordinary looks crazy to the insane.”
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."
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