Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* Following multiple court rulings against Democratic legislators’ gerrymandered district map, a federal judge yesterday ordered New York to move its congressional primary from next month to Aug. 23. Complicating matters, NBC News noted that some New York primaries — including those for governor and lieutenant governor — are still scheduled for June 28, raising the prospect of New York having to incur the cost of holding two primary elections in three months.
* In Pennsylvania’s closely watched Republican Senate primary, the latest Fox News poll pointed to a competitive three-person contest: Mehmet Oz narrowly led David McCormick in the poll, 22 percent to 20 percent, with far-right political commentator Kathy Barnette close behind with 19 percent. As recently as March, the same poll found McCormick with a comfortable advantage.
* As for Pennsylvania’s GOP gubernatorial primary, the same poll found Doug Mastriano pulling away from the rest of the field, leading with 29 percent support. He’s followed by Lou Barletta at 17 percent, Bill McSwain at 13 percent, and Dave White at 11 percent.
* On a related note, Politico reported that top Republican officials in the Keystone State are “mounting a last-ditch, behind-the-scenes effort” to derail Mastriano, seeing him as a candidate likely to lose in a general election.
* The Democratic National Committee is launching a new, seven-figure investment to reach Latino voters ahead of the midterm elections. An NBC News report added that the DNC’s push will include radio and print advertisements in English and Spanish in Latino-rich states, which are part of “a Latino initiative the committee dubbed Adelante, which translates as ‘forward.’” * Speaking of Democrats, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has agreed to voluntarily recognize the organization’s first union, which is now the largest collective bargaining unit in the party. * In an online message yesterday, Donald Trump slammed Rep. Nancy Mace as a “nasty” congresswoman with a “fresh mouth.” The former president is backing the South Carolina Republican’s primary rival, Katie Arrington. * And in Colorado, a state judge yesterday barred Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters from overseeing elections in her home county in response to allegations that she tampered with voting equipment in pursuit of far-right conspiracy theories. Peters is also a Republican candidate for Colorado secretary of state, and if she wins, she’ll oversee the state’s elections system.
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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