Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* While there’s been considerable focus this week on Republican presidential candidates’ fundraising, it’s the Democratic incumbent who’s put up the most impressive numbers: NBC News reported this morning that President Joe Biden’s re-election operation — his campaign, the DNC and a joint fundraising effort that includes state parties across the country — raised more than $72 million in the most recent quarter.
* In a court ruling that might help dictate which party controls the U.S. House in the next Congress, a New York appeals court yesterday ordered state officials to redraw its congressional district map, which is very likely to give Democrats an added advantage. Republicans will appeal the decision.
* The New York Times reported that a super PAC aligned with Donald Trump apparently paid Melania Trump $155,000 in late 2021, “an unusual payment that was not visible in the group’s initial federal reports and came to light only in a filing by Mr. Trump on Thursday.”
* Politico reported that some prominent Republican donors are starting to “sour” on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ chances in the 2024 race, and they’re starting to give South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott a second look.
* In Iowa, Republican state Sen. Jeff Reichman was a Trump supporter, but after the former president slammed Gov. Kim Reynolds, Reichman pulled his endorsement and announced that he’s now backing DeSantis. * Business Insider reportedly accessed Tim Sheehy’s old Facebook page, and it’s not great news the for Republican U.S. Senate hopeful in Montana: The page included “lewd photos of women, a caricature of Middle Eastern people, and homoerotic jokes.” * Though many Democrats have already backed Rep. Colin Allred’s U.S. Senate campaign in Texas, he’s not running unopposed: State Sen. Roland Gutierrez launched his candidacy this week. The party’s nominee will face incumbent Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, who’s currently favored to win another term. * And speaking of the Lone Star State, former Republican Rep. Mayra Flores announced this week that she’s launching a comeback bid, setting up a rematch against incumbent Democratic Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, who defeated Flores by nearly nine points last fall.
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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