Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* There will be a key Democratic congressional primary in Rhode Island’s 1st district today, as part of the process to fill the vacancy left by former Democratic Rep. David Cicilline, who stepped down in the spring. A dozen candidates will appear on the ballot, and the winner of the primary is expected to prevail in the general election: This is a district President Joe Biden carried by nearly 30 points.
* In related news, there’s also a key Republican congressional primary in Utah’s 2nd district today, as part of the process to fill the vacancy left by former Republican Rep. Chris Stewart, who also stepped down in the spring. There are three main contenders for the GOP nomination, and the prevailing candidate will face Democratic state Sen. Kathleen Riebe. The winner of the Republican primary is expected to prevail in the general election: This is a district Donald Trump carried by 17 points.
* State Rep. Gloria Johnson, perhaps best known nationally as a member of the “Tennessee Three,” made it official this morning, launching a Democratic U.S. Senate campaign. She hopes to face incumbent Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn, who’ll seek a second term next year.
* The latest national Wall Street Journal poll found Donald Trump in a dominant position in the race for the GOP’s presidential nomination. The former president is out in front with 59% support — up from 48% in a WSJ poll in April — and his next closest competitor is Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who was second with 13%.
* Speaking of the Florida governor, Politico reported over the weekend that the top strategist for DeSantis’ super PAC “privately told donors that Vivek Ramaswamy posed a threat to the Florida governor — and bragged that the super PAC was behind an avalanche of opposition research targeting the rival candidate.” * In related news, NBC News reported that the super PAC backing DeSantis’ presidential campaign “has ceased its door-knocking operations in Nevada.” The same report added that the operation “also ended its field operations in North Carolina and Texas, two additional states that vote on Super Tuesday in March.” * The NFL’s opening game is just a couple of days away, and President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign will air a new TV ad during the broadcast. Viewers will see this 30-second spot focused on the Democrat’s economic record. * And in case you missed it, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez ended his Republican presidential campaign last week. Suarez was the last GOP candidate to enter the race, and he also became the first to quit.
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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