Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* The Lexington Herald-Leader reported yesterday, “A growing number of Republican lawmakers are urging Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin, a fellow Republican, to either provide evidence of the voting ‘irregularities’ he has alleged or concede Tuesday’s election to Gov.-elect Andy Beshear, who defeated him by 5,189 votes.”
* Last night, former Attorney General Jeff Sessions formally kicked off his U.S. Senate campaign, hoping to reclaim his old seat. The Alabama Republican, ridiculed, condemned, and fired by Donald Trump, took care in his announcement video to express his support for the president.
* On a related note, while Sessions joins a crowded GOP primary field, Alabama’s senior U.S. senator, Republican Richard Shelby, quickly threw his support behind his former colleague.
* For his part, Trump told reporters this morning that he doesn’t plan to actively campaign against Sessions, though the president added, “I’ll see how it all goes. We’ll see what happens.”
* Montana Gov. Steve Bullock’s (D) presidential campaign has launched its first television ad in Iowa, prominently featuring state Attorney General Tom Miller, a Bullock backer and the highest-ranking Dem in Iowa’s state government.
* After getting an implicit green light from the former vice president, a newly formed super PAC supporting Joe Biden’s presidential campaign has “kicked into gear.” * In Seattle this week, it appears that Amazon.com’s effort to overhaul the local city council came up short. * Trump already has three primary rivals, and this morning, former Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) made clear that he won’t become the fourth. * And former presidential hopeful Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas) told supporters last night that he “absolutely” plans to remain involved in politics, though he didn’t say when or in what capacity. By all appearances, the former congressman really isn’t going to run for the Senate in 2020, though.
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
