Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* The latest Monmouth University poll in Michigan found Donald Trump leading the GOP’s presidential field with 63% support. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former Ambassador Nikki Haley were tied for second with 13% each. Former Gov. Chris Christie was fourth in the poll with 5%.
* At a town hall event on CNN, Republican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy leaned into his Jan. 6 conspiracy theories, insisting, “The reality is, we know that there were federal law enforcement agents in the field. We don’t know how many.” Reminded that there’s no evidence of that, the far-right entrepreneur said he’s seen “multiple informants.”
* In related news, Ramaswamy has been campaigning in Iowa with former Republican Rep. Steve King, a former Iowa congressman whose racist rhetoric helped derail his career.
* In New Hampshire, Republican Gov. Chris Sununu was asked whether he wanted to be considered for a vice presidential nominee on a ticket led by former Ambassador Nikki Haley. “I don’t want a job,” the governor responded.
* In New York’s 3rd congressional district, Democrats have already nominated former Rep. Tom Suozzi to run in an upcoming special election, and Politico reports that local Republican officials are likely to follow suit before the weekend. This is the race that will fill the vacancy left by former Rep. George Santos, who was recently expelled. * In California, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s resignation will take effect in a couple of weeks, and the outgoing GOP congressman has endorsed Assemblyman Vince Fong to fill the vacancy. There are some legal questions, however, as to whether or not Fong can run for the seat. * Speaking of the Golden State, the latest poll from the Public Policy Institute of California found Democratic Reps. Adam Schiff and Katie Porter as the leading candidates in the state’s open U.S. Senate race. Note, California has primaries with multiple candidates from both parties competing on the same ballot.
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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