Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* The Democratic National Committee is unveiling billboards this week in 20 states, thanking President Joe Biden and Democratic senators for approving the COVID relief package. The same billboards call out local Senate Republicans for voting against the American Relief Plan.
* In Texas’ upcoming congressional special election, Sery Kim, a veteran of Donald Trump’s Small Business Administration, insisted last week that she doesn’t want Chinese immigrants in the United States “at all,” in part because “they give us coronavirus.” The Republican candidate added, “And quite frankly, I can say that because I’m Korean.”
* On a related note, Reps. Young Kim (R-Calif.) and Michelle Steel (R-Calif.), both of whom had previously endorsed Sery Kim’s candidacy in Texas, withdrew their support in a joint statement.
* When it comes to scrutinizing the results of the 2020 presidential election, one of the most important questions is why Trump did better than expected among many Latino voters. A research firm called Equis Labs took a closer look, and found the Republican faring well based on perceptions about his economic successes.
* There’s been a fair amount of speculation of late about whether former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D) might run against Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) next year. The former congressman told the Dallas Morning News last week, “I’ve got no plans to run, and I’m very focused on the things that I’m lucky enough to do right now — organizing, registering voters and teaching. I’m just going to keep doing what I’m doing now.” * After narrowly surviving a tough primary challenge in the last election cycle, House Oversight Committee Chair Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) has announced that she will seek another term in 2022. Suraj Patel, who nearly defeated the congresswoman last year, indicated that he “expects to be a candidate” once again. * And in Nebraska, Sen. Deb Fischer (R) recently opened the door to a possible gubernatorial campaign next year, but the two-term senator announced last week that she’s sticking with her current job. Fischer’s decision comes on the heels of Rep. Don Bacon (R) also skipping Nebraska’s 2022 gubernatorial race. Incumbent Gov. Pete Ricketts’ (R) second term ends next year and he cannot seek a third.
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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