Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* In North Carolina’s still-unresolved state Supreme Court race, the election results showed a narrow win for Democratic Justice Allison Riggs, but a ruling from that same court on Friday might very well negate the voters’ verdict.
* In a bit of a surprise, Iowa’s Republican governor, Kim Reynolds, has decided not to run for re-election after nearly a decade in office. The announcement comes on the heels of a Morning Consult poll that found Reynolds as the nation’s least popular incumbent governor.
* With Republican Rep. John James giving up his highly competitive seat to run for governor in Michigan, a variety of local Democrats have either launched campaigns or are expected to do so soon.
* Speaking of the Wolverine State, Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet was considered a possible U.S. Senate candidate in Michigan, but the Democratic congresswoman has decided to run for re-election to the U.S. House instead.
* In Minnesota, top officials in the state Republican Party recently agreed to condemn a right-wing group called Action 4 Liberty. As The Minnesota Star Tribune reported, the group “was repeatedly attacking Republicans in the divided Minnesota House for compromising with Democrats, while also encouraging ‘grassroots Patriots’ to oust party officers at local conventions and replace them with hardline activists.”
* In 2018, Maura Sullivan, Marine Corps veteran who worked in the Obama administration, ran for Congress but came up short in a Democratic primary race against Rep. Chris Pappas. But with Pappas giving up his seat for the Senate, Sullivan is trying again.
* Did independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont receive a warm welcome at Coachella? As a matter of fact, yes, he did.
