Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley fought hard to compete in her home state of South Carolina, but in the state’s presidential primary, the former governor nevertheless lost by about 20 points. Haley nevertheless vowed to keep competing through Super Tuesday, which is eight days away.
* On a related note, Americans for Prosperity Action, which is largely financed by billionaire Charles Koch, announced the day after the South Carolina contest that it will no longer invest in support of Haley’s candidacy.
* The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) is over, but we’re still learning plenty about the far-right gathering. NBC News reported, “Nazis appeared to find a friendly reception at the Conservative Political Action Conference this year. Throughout the conference, racist extremists, some of whom had secured official CPAC badges, openly mingled with conference attendees and espoused antisemitic conspiracy theories.”
* Senate Minority Whip John Thune was one of his party’s more prominent Trump skeptics in recent years, but the South Dakota Republican nevertheless endorsed the former president after his South Carolina victory.
* In case the Nevada GOP’s separate presidential primary and caucus weren’t quite confusing enough, Michigan Republicans are poised to hold a presidential primary tomorrow, followed by a nominating convention on Saturday. * In New Jersey’s Democratic Senate primary, Rep. Andy Kim continues to fare well at county conventions, as evidenced by his lopsided victory over New Jersey first lady Tammy Murphy in Burlington County over the weekend. * Former Gov. Asa Hutchinson is no longer a presidential candidate — the Arkansan is now backing Haley — and he sat down with MSNBC’s Jonathan Capehart over the weekend to discuss the GOP race. While Hutchinson did not come right out and say he wouldn’t support Trump’s candidacy in the general election, the former governor did say, “Well, I’m not going to support a convicted felon. … And so, let’s wait and see who comes out of the convention. I’m not going to support a convicted felon.”
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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