Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* A federal judge this morning rejected Rep. Bruce Poliquin’s (R) lawsuit challenging Maine’s ranked-choice voting system, which led to his defeat in the state’s 2nd congressional district last month. “To the extent that the Plaintiffs call into question the wisdom of using RCV, they are free to do so but … such criticism falls short of constitutional impropriety,” Judge Lance Walker wrote.
* Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) reached a term-limits agreement with some of her intra-party critics last night, and in the process, secured the votes she’ll need to reclaim the House Speaker’s gavel.
* Remember the FBI probe of officials in Tallahassee, Fla., which Republicans used to undermine Andrew Gillum’s (D) U.S. Senate campaign? It turns out, Gillum was right and he wasn’t under investigation after all.
* State lawmakers in North Carolina approved a new elections-related measure yesterday, with some provisions that may affect the scandal unfolding in the state’s 9th congressional district. Among other things, the bill opens the door to new primaries for voters in the district.
* Elected officials switching parties is quite rare, so it stood out to see Kansas state Sen. Barbara Bollier end her affiliation with the Republican Party. * We can apparently add Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) to the list Democrats eyeing the 2020 presidential race. Despite some controversies over her positions, the Hawaii congresswoman told MSNBC yesterday, “I’m thinking through it very carefully. I’m thinking through it very carefully.” * And a new Fox News poll asked respondents whether they plan to vote for Donald Trump in two years. The survey found that 38% said they will “definitely” or “probably” vote for the Republican president, while 55% said will “definitely” or “probably” vote against him
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
