Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* Just one day after calling for Donald Trump’s impeachment, Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) has picked up a primary rival in his Michigan congressional district. The challenge is coming from state Rep. Jim Lower (R-Mich.), who changed his social-media profile picture yesterday to appear in front of a pro-Trump sign.
* Speaking of the president, Trump complained about Fox News via Twitter yesterday, suggesting he expects the network not to cover his Democratic rivals in ways he doesn’t like.
* Former Vice President Joe Biden formally kicked off his 2020 presidential campaign on Saturday with a rally in Philadelphia. The Democrat’s speech included one especially memorable line: “President Trump inherited an economy from an Obama/Biden administration that was given to him — just like he inherited everything else in his life. And just like everything else he has been given in life, he is in the process of squandering that as well.”
* In a bit of a surprise, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock (D), after just a week on the presidential campaign trail, picked up an endorsement over the weekend from Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller (D). Miller is the highest ranking statewide Democratic official in the Hawkeye State, which is home to the nation’s first nominating contest.
* Speaking of Democratic presidential hopefuls, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) unveiled her plan this morning on narrowing the pay gap between men and women. The proposal includes, among other provisions, a requirement that large employers obtain an “equal pay certification” every two years.
* Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has unveiled his education plan, which includes, among other things, a moratorium on new charter schools and a ban on charter schools run by for-profit corporations. * Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas), meanwhile, has started to sketch out his blueprint for reducing gun violence. * In the large field of Democratic presidential candidates, roughly half have already received contributions from at least 65,000 donors — the minimum threshold to participate in debates. As of Friday, however, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) has not yet met that threshold, though she’s qualified for the debates via polling. * And in the Republican presidential primary, Donald Trump probably isn’t too worried about William Weld, but the former Massachusetts governor has picked up the support of a sitting GOP governor: Vermont’s Phil Scott. The Vermont Republican also declined to support Trump’s candidacy in 2016.
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
