Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* Things are likely to get a little messy in Maine’s 2nd congressional district, where incumbent Rep. Bruce Poliquin (R) is ahead by 0.3%, but where the winner will be determined by the state’s ranked-choice voting process.
* There’s a new controversy in South Florida, where 24,000 voters in heavily Democratic Broward County, voted in the state’s gubernatorial race, but failed to vote in the U.S. Senate race. According to the Sun-Sentinel, there was some confusion about the layout of the ballot.
* In the wake of her defeat in Missouri this week, outgoing Sen. Claire McCaskill (D) believes Fox News contributed to her loss. “It’s time we all quit dancing around what is now a state-owned news channel,” she said yesterday.
* As of last night, Democrats at the state level had flipped “more than 300 state legislative seats while also claiming a majority of the nation’s attorney general offices.”
* In North Carolina’s only undecided race, Dan McCready (D) has conceded to Mark Harris (R) in the 9th district. Harris is perhaps best known as a former minister with a lengthy record of controversial remarks about women and religious minorities. * In Georgia, Brian Kemp (R) has declared victory in the state’s problematic gubernatorial race. Stacey Abrams said last night, “We know our opponent has had the secretary of state’s office declare he is the winner. We are here to say we don’t accept that.” * In New Jersey’s 3rd congressional district, it’s not yet official, but Andy Kim (D) has declared victory over incumbent Rep. Tom MacArthur (R). MacArthur is perhaps best known for his role in pushing the Republicans’ failed, far-right health care repeal plan last year. * And the race for House leadership posts is very much underway. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), not surprisingly, wants to be Speaker again, while Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) are both vying for the House Minority Leader post.
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
