Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* Rep. Duncan Hunter’s (R-Calif.) recent criminal indictment doesn’t appear to be interfering too much with his re-election plans: a Monmouth University poll released yesterday showed the Republican incumbent leading Ammar Campa-Najjar in California’s 50th congressional district, 49% to 41%. That margin makes him the favorite, though it’s worth noting for context that Hunter won in 2016 by roughly 35 points.
* Rep. Steve Stivers (R-Ohio), the current chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, conceded this week that his party has “written off” the race in New Jersey’s 2nd congressional district, which is currently represented by Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R). The current Republican nominee, Seth Grossman, has a history of racially inflammatory rhetoric.
* Speaking of the Garden State, in New Jersey’s 5th congressional district, a local family discovered their yard sign in support of Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D) was defaced last weekend with swastikas. Gottheimer’s Republican opponent, John McCann, responded to the incident by saying, “These types of actions happen when Democratic leaders like Nancy Pelosi and Maxine Waters spread messages of hate.”
* The list of congressional resignations is getting a little longer: Rep. Evan Jenkins (R-W.Va.) will give up his House seat in 48 hours and will soon after fill a vacant seat on the West Virginia Supreme Court. Jenkins lost a Republican U.S. Senate primary a few months ago.
* In the midst of a competitive re-election fight, Rep. Mia Love (R-Utah) this week alleged that Democrats are targeting her district because “they do not like the fact that I am a black female Republican.” * Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), currently running in the race for Minnesota attorney general, voluntarily asked the House Ethics Committee to investigate allegations that he physically abused an ex-girlfriend a few years ago. * And former First Lady Michelle Obama this week appeared in a new public-service announcement encouraging Americans to register to vote. There are 30– and 60-second versions of her ad.
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
