Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* In Texas, Republican state House Speaker Dade Phelan announced Friday that he’s ending his bid to keep his leadership post. The incumbent has faced allegations from within his party that he simply isn’t far enough to the right, and Donald Trump tried to derail his career in a GOP primary in May. (Phelan won re-election anyway.)
* Lara Trump, the president-elect’s daughter-in-law, is stepping down as co-chair of the Republican National Committee after nine months on the job. She also appears to be angling for an appointment to the U.S. Senate, hoping to succeed incumbent Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, who’s likely to become the next secretary of state.
* Democrat Andy Kim of New Jersey is poised to be sworn in as the U.S. Senate’s newest member, succeeding appointed Democratic Sen. George Helmy, who filled the vacancy left by former Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez.
* On a related note, Democrat Adam Schiff of California is also poised to join the Senate. In addition to having won a Senate term of his own last month, Schiff also won a special election to fill the remainder of the current term, succeeding appointed Democratic Sen. Laphonza Butler, who filled the vacancy left by the late Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
* During Donald Trump’s “Meet the Press” interview, NBC News’ Kristen Welker asked the president-elect, “For the sake of unifying this country, will you concede the 2020 election and turn the page on that chapter?” The Republican replied, “No. No. Why would I do that?” * Following an election cycle in which House Democrats narrowed the Republican majority in the chamber, party leaders have decided to keep Washington Rep. Suzan DelBene on for another term as chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. * And though the public didn’t know it at the time, post-election campaign finance reports show that the Senate Majority PAC, the top Democratic super PAC in Senate races, invested $4 million into Dan Osborn’s independent campaign in Nebraska. Osborn lost to Republican Sen. Deb Fischer last month by roughly six points — in a state Trump won by 21 points.
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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