Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* In November, a USA Today/Suffolk University poll jolted the political world with results that showed Republicans with an eight-point advantage on the 2022 generic ballot. A new USA Today/Suffolk poll shows Democrats narrowly regaining a lead, 39 percent to 37 percent.
* The list of congressional retirements will grow today, as Democratic Rep. Bobby Rush of Illinois will announce that he’s not seeking a 16th term in the fall. The 75-year-old congressman, a longtime civil rights activist, is also known as the only person to ever defeat Barack Obama in an election.
* New Hampshire Secretary of State Bill Gardner, who’s fought harder than anyone to maintain the Granite State’s status as the first presidential primary state, announced yesterday that he’s stepping down following 26 terms in office. The New Hampshire Democrat will be succeeded by his deputy, David Scanlan.
* Republican Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, a perennial target in his state’s most competitive district, has a new problem: Donald Trump is trying to recruit a primary challenger to run against him. The GOP incumbent apparently drew the former president’s wrath by voting for the popular and bipartisan infrastructure bill in early November.
* Virginia state Sen. Amanda Chase, a notorious conservative firebrand and failed gubernatorial candidate, ended her congressional campaign yesterday. The Republican bowed out in response to the commonwealth’s new legislative map: Chase intended to run in Virginia’s 7th, which she no longer lives in under the new district boundaries. * Former Democratic Rep. Harley Rouda appeared to be moving forward with a California primary campaign against incumbent Rep. Katie Porter, but the former congressman announced yesterday that he’s decided to skip the race in the newly redrawn 47th district. * And speaking of the Golden State, Republican Kelly Ernby, who was running for a state legislative seat on an anti-vaccine-mandate platform, died yesterday after contracting Covid-19. The 46-year-old was also the deputy district attorney in Orange County.
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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