Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* On the fundraising front, the Biden/Harris campaign, the DNC, and their joint fundraising committees reportedly raised $70 million over the four days spanning the Democratic National Convention.
* On a related note, as you may have heard, the Republican National Convention kicks off today. By some accounts, Donald Trump will make at least some kind of appearance every day of the four-day event.
* In Arizona’s closely watched U.S. Senate race, appointed incumbent Sen. Martha McSally (R) suggested last week that supporters could “fast a meal” and use the savings to contribute to her campaign. The Republican’s aides later said she was kidding.
* We can apparently add Nebraska state Sen. John McCollister (R) to the list of Republicans supporting Biden over Trump. The Democratic nominee, McCollister said late last week, would be “a real president.”
* For several years, Republicans running for re-election would steer clear of George W. Bush, reluctant to be tarnished by his failures and unpopularity, but in Maine last week, Sen. Susan Collins (R) held an event with the former president and welcomed his endorsement.
* The New York Times took a closer look over the weekend at the recent controversy surrounding Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse, and his effort to battle back as part of his Democratic congressional primary against incumbent Rep. Richard Neal in Massachusetts.
* Tennessee’s Republican-led state government has approved a new law that says those who protest on state property can be charged with felonies — and in Tennessee, those convicted of felonies lose their voting rights. * Speaking of the Volunteer State, Republican operatives are moving forward with plans to get Kanye West’s name on the 2020 presidential ballot in Tennessee, too. * And speaking of pro-Trump efforts to get the entertainer onto as many ballots as possible, we learned late last week that Republicans fell short in Illinois and Ohio. Soon after, officials in West Virginia said West had also failed to qualify for its statewide ballot. * In related news, West’s operation submitted several electors’ names to election officials in Virginia as part of the effort to appear on the commonwealth’s ballot. Several of those of electors soon after said they had no idea why their names were included, and they do not support his candidacy.
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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