Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* After two weeks away, Democratic state House members in Texas are returning to Austin, ending a walkout that temporarily derailed a Republican mid-decade redistricting scheme. Their return all but assures GOP passage of the new, rigged map.
* Democrats in California, meanwhile, are moving forward with plans for a Nov. 4 election, which would clear the way for the legislature to redraw their congressional districts, potentially negating the impact of Texas’ gambit.
* In related news, California Democrats have already unveiled a draft district map that would put the party in a position to gain an additional five U.S. House seats, matching the target number for Republicans in Texas.
* As for the next round of gerrymandering fights in red states, the White House and its allies are reportedly eyeing Indiana and Missouri as states that could follow Texas’ example.
* In Ohio, for Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown has made it official, launching a comeback bid roughly 10 months after losing his seat. Brown will challenge incumbent Republican Sen. Jon Husted, who was appointed earlier this year to fill the vacancy left by JD Vance after he became vice president. * In a bit of a surprise, Democratic state Rep. J.D. Scholten is ending his U.S. Senate campaign in Iowa and throwing his support behind fellow state Rep. Josh Turek. The winner of the Democratic primary will likely take on incumbent Republican Sen. Joni Ernst in the 2026 midterms. * With just 11 weeks remaining before Election Day 2025, the Virginia Police Benevolent Association announced last week that it’s endorsing former Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger for governor, even as the group is backing GOP candidates in down-ballot contests. * And in a sign of the times, Donald Trump launched a fundraising appeal related to his failed summit with Russia’s Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
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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