Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* In another major setback for Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin, the leaders of two influential labor unions — the American Federation of Teachers’ Randi Weingarten and Lee Saunders, the president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees — have decided to end their roles as at-large members of the national party.
* On a related note, the labor leaders’ departures come on the heels of David Hogg, a former DNC vice chair, announcing that he wouldn’t try to hold on to his position after the party agreed to a revote.
* In New Jersey’s gubernatorial race, former Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, a Republican and the first woman to serve as the Garden State’s chief executive, has thrown her support behind Rep. Mikie Sherrill — the Democratic nominee. Election Day is 20 weeks away.
* Three years ago, Donald Trump supported a GOP primary campaign against Idaho Gov. Brad Little. Now, the president is supporting the incumbent Republican governor in the state’s 2026 race, though Little hasn’t yet announced whether he’s running.
* In Texas, Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales has frequently drawn far-right criticisms, so few were surprised to see Susan Storey Rubio, a local rancher, announce a new primary campaign against the incumbent congressman. Last year, Gonzales barely fended off a different primary rival. * While former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg hasn’t put his billions to much political use lately, he gave $5 million last week to a super PAC supporting former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s mayoral candidacy. * And on the heels of Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa saying “we all are going to die” in response to questions about her party’s proposed Medicaid cuts, The Wall Street Journal reports that the line “has become a line of attack against Republicans nationally, with Democratic fundraising solicitations, political ads, social media and T-shirts now highlighting her words heading into the midterm elections.”
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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