Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* Republicans still seem eager to knock down Joe Biden’s 2020 candidacy, and their efforts include a new attack ad in South Carolina that takes a Barack Obama quote out of context. The former Democratic president and his aides demanded yesterday that the “despicable” ad come down.
* Speaking of South Carolina, a new Monmouth poll released this morning found Biden with a big lead over Bernie Sanders in this week’s primary, 36% to 16%. Tom Steyer was third in the poll with 15%, and no other candidates reached double-digit support.
* A Clemson University Palmetto Poll released yesterday pointed in a similar direction, with Biden ahead in South Carolina with 35%, followed by Steyer at 17% and Sanders at 13%.
* Biden also appears to be well positioned in Florida, at least according to a new St. Pete Poll, which found the Delaware Democrat ahead with 34%, followed by Michael Bloomberg at 25%. Sanders is third in the poll with 13%. (Other recent Florida polling showed Bloomberg in an even better position in the state.)
* The former vice president, I believe for the first time, yesterday spoke publicly about narrowing the Democratic 2020 field. Referring to unnamed rivals, Biden said, “They would have to consider dropping out, not because I want them to or anybody else does, but because the victories and losses are going to dictate it.” * We haven’t heard about a congressional retirement in a while, but Rep. Ralph Abraham (R-La.) announced yesterday that he won’t seek re-election. Louisiana’s 5th congressional district is heavily Republican — it’s partisan-voter-index rating is R+15 — and it appears unlikely to change party hands. * And as part of its apparent outreach to African-American voters, Donald Trump’s re-election campaign announced yesterday that it’s opening “engagement centers” in 15 states, hoping to boost “Black Voices for Trump.”
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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