Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* In the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, Democrats now lead Republicans on the generic congressional ballot, 50% to 40%. That 10-point margin is up from a six-point lead Dems had in the same poll in January.
* At Donald Trump’s urging, Danny Tarkanian ended his Republican primary race against Sen. Dean Heller in Nevada. Tarkanian will instead run in the state’s 3rd congressional district, which is an open-seat contest. Heller, meanwhile, generally seen as the nation’s most vulnerable Senate incumbent, will no longer have a primary rival.
* Speaking of Nevada, Rep. Ruben Kihuen (D-Nev.) recently wavered on his 2018 plans, but after facing sexual-harassment allegations, the freshman Democrat has ruled out a re-election bid.
* Ahead of tomorrow’s primaries in Illinois, the anti-abortion Susan B. Anthony List, generally seen as a far-right group that supports Republicans, is supporting Rep. Dan Lipinski in his Democratic primary with a “six-figure investment.”
* And speaking of Illinois, NBC News’ First Read reported the other day that candidates in the state’s gubernatorial race have already spent more than $65 million — and the general-election phase hasn’t even begun in earnest yet. It may become the most expensive non-presidential race in American history. * In Hawaii, former Rep. Charles Djou announced today that he’s no longer a member of the Republican Party. His announcement comes almost exactly a year after Rep. Beth Fukumoto, once considered a rising star in the Hawaii GOP, became a Democrat. * Remember the Maine Republican state House candidate who lashed out at student activists from Parkland, Fla.? Leslie Gibson, who was running unopposed, has decided to quit his race. * And according to Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), the chair of the NRSC, Donald Trump will be “actively campaigning for a Senate majority. Absolutely.” Time will tell, however, just how many Republican incumbents or challengers will want to be seen with the unpopular, scandal-plagued president.
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
