Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) will have a primary challenger when he runs for a second term next year: former Rep. Jim Renacci (R), who lost a U.S. Senate race in 2018, kicked off his gubernatorial bid yesterday. The former far-right congressman and Trump ally, told the Cincinnati Enquirer in an interview,” Ohio cannot afford for Mike DeWine to be the governor anymore.”
* Speaking of the Buckeye State, Donald Trump is throwing his support behind Mike Carey (R) in the special election in Ohio’s 15th congressional district. Former Rep. Steve Stivers (R), however, is backing state Rep. Jeff LaRe (R), setting the stage for an interesting intra-party fight when voters head to the polls on Nov. 2.
* Virginia Democrats were keeping a close eye on turnout in this week’s primaries, and an NBC News analysis suggested the party has reason to be relatively pleased about the vote tallies.
* Speaking of the commonwealth, former Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D), the big winner in his primary fight this week, appeared on MSNBC yesterday and said, “I don’t think Trump has the courage” to campaign in Virginia for Republican nominee Glenn Youngkin. The former president lost Virginia by double digits last fall.
* In related news, after months of public chatter about a possible independent gubernatorial campaign in Virginia, former Rep. Denver Riggleman (R) said this week that he won’t be a candidate this year. * In Arizona, retired Maj. Gen. Michael McGuire, who only recently stepped down as adjutant general of the state’s National Guard, launched a Republican U.S. Senate campaign this week. The first-time candidate is one of several Arizona Republicans hoping to take on incumbent Sen. Mark Kelly (D) in 2022. * And in Florida, former Rep. Alan Grayson (D) apparently kicked off a U.S. Senate campaign against Sen. Marco Rubio (R) this week, publishing a tweet that read, “Grayson vs. Rubio – it’s on. Watch to see how we’ll beat Marco Rubio.” Much of the Democratic establishment, however, is likely to rally behind Rep. Val Demings (D), who announced a bid this week, in the Senate race.
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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