Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* On Friday, Donald Trump said he’s asked Republican National Committee Chair Michael Watley to help with disaster response efforts in North Carolina. Asked what, exactly, the RNC chief would do, the president told reporters, “I envision a very important role for him. It’s any role he wants.” Watley was recently re-elected to a second term leading his party.
* A day later, during a political event in Las Vegas, Trump said it “will be the greatest honor of my life to serve not once, but twice — or three times or four times.” He soon after suggested he was kidding.
* The North Carolina Supreme Court has not yet ruled on a challenge to a state Supreme Court election from last fall, but three Republican justices have already left little doubt that they’re prepared to overturn the will of the voters to boost the GOP candidate.
* In Ohio, state Attorney General Dave Yost launched a Republican gubernatorial campaign late last week. He’ll likely face a primary challenge from, among others, failed presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.
* With only days remaining before the Democratic National Committee chooses a new chair, Wisconsin’s Ben Wikler has picked up new support from seven sitting Democratic governors. * On a related note, Wikler’s principal rival, Minnesota’s Ken Martin, appears to enter the final stretch of the race with more commitments from DNC members. * In Arizona, Republican Rep. Andy Biggs made it official over the weekend, kicking off a 2026 gubernatorial campaign. Biggs is perhaps best known to national audiences as the former chair of the far-right House Freedom Caucus. * And in New Mexico, Sen. Martin Heinrich made little secret of his interest in 2026 gubernatorial campaign, but the Democratic senator ultimately decided to remain on Capitol Hill. That’s probably good news for former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, who’s also eyeing the statewide race.
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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