Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* For the first time, Kyrsten Sinema (D) took a narrow lead over Martha McSally (R) in Arizona’s U.S. Senate race, but the vote-counting process continues and there are still plenty of ballots to go.
* It may seem like a long shot, but Sen. Bill Nelson (D), though trailing Rick Scott (R) now, could still prevail in Florida’s U.S. Senate race.
* It’s gone largely under the radar, but there’s still another U.S. Senate race to go: Mississippi will hold a runoff election on Nov. 27, pitting appointed incumbent Sen. Cindy Hyde Smith (R) against former U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy (D). Yesterday, the two agreed to a debate scheduled for Nov. 20.
* NBC News reported yesterday that voter turnout in this year’s midterm elections are on track to reach a level unseen since 1966.
* As things stand, the Democratic lead over Republicans in the U.S. House popular vote is 6%, but the consensus among election watchers is that it will grow to at least 7% when all of the votes are tallied.
* Interesting trivia: Minnesota is literally the only state in the nation with a state House controlled by one party and a state Senate controlled by another. * In the race for House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) may not have the necessary votes locked up just yet, but no one should be surprised if she secures the support she needs. * Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), currently the House Republican Conference Chair, is giving up her post in the House GOP leadership. Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) apparently hopes to replace her. * And what’s next for former Attorney General Jeff Sessions? He’s reportedly interested in running again for the U.S. Senate seat in Alabama he gave up to join the Trump cabinet. That seat, which is currently held by Sen. Doug Jones (D-Ala.), will be up in 2020.
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
