Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* House Speaker Paul Ryan’s (R-Wis.) political action committee will reportedly distribute $5,000 campaign checks this morning to 143 House Republican incumbents seeking re-election this fall. The combined $715,000 constitutes the PAC’s “largest one-time transfer of the year.”
* On a related note, House Republicans are settling on a 2018 strategy, which will apparently focus — once again — on complaining about House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) a lot.
* Rep. Devin Nunes’ (R-Calif.) top Democratic challenger, Andrew Janz, had a significant fundraising boost on Friday after the Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee released his “memo.”
* Speaking of fundraising, NBC News highlighted an interesting tidbit late last week: “At least 45 Democratic challengers in 34 districts raised more money last quarter than the Republican member of Congress they’re hoping to defeat in November, according to new campaign finance reports.”
* The Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC affiliated with the Senate Republican leadership, is launching a new ad in Nevada targeting Sen. Dean Heller’s (R) primary rival, Danny Tarkanian. That’s not a good sign for the incumbent: it suggests the party has reason to believe Heller faces a real threat. * Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) personally appealed to Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant (R) to be prepared to appoint himself to the Senate in the event Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) could no longer serve. Bryant apparently declined. * In Illinois’ 3rd congressional district, a right-wing Holocaust denier will be the Republican nominee for Congress this year — because no other GOP candidate wanted to run. The district is currently represented by Rep. Dan Lipinski (D), who’s facing a credible primary rival.
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." Recommended
