Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* A prominent name has joined the ranks of retiring members of Congress: Democratic Rep. Steny Hoyer, the former House majority leader, is giving up his seat after more than four decades on Capitol Hill.
* To the disappointment of Democrats who hoped to see him lose again, Republican state Sen. Doug Mastriano announced that he won’t run for governor again in Pennsylvania.
* On a related note, Gov. Josh Shapiro confirmed what was widely assumed and launched a re-election bid in the Keystone State, amid speculation about the Democrat’s possible presidential ambitions in 2028.
* Ahead of this year’s midterm elections, Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts announced this week that she’s donating more than $400,000 to 23 state Democratic parties in an effort to boost the party’s infrastructure.
* After two failed statewide campaigns in Arizona, Republican Kari Lake recently bought a condo in Iowa, the state she grew up in, amid speculation that she might try to succeed Sen. Chuck Grassley. * Speaking of Arizona, Austin Smith, a former state representative in the Grand Canyon State, was sentenced this week to two years’ probation, fined and barred from running for public office for five years after forging signatures on his election petition. Ironically, Smith is perhaps best known for prominent bogus conspiracy theories about election irregularities. * And during her latest Fox Business appearance, Attorney General Pam Bondi, who continues to play the role of a Donald Trump cheerleader, told viewers that the president “was elected by an overwhelming majority.” In reality, Trump led the GOP ticket in three successive election cycles and never reached 50% support.
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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