Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) was poised to launch his Utah Senate campaign today, but the announcement was delayed because of yesterday’s school shooting.
* On a related note, Rob Anderson, the Utah Republican Party chair, doesn’t seem overly impressed with his party’s likely Senate nominee. “I think he’s keeping out candidates that I think would be a better fit for Utah because, let’s face it, Mitt Romney doesn’t live here, his kids weren’t born here, he doesn’t shop here,” Anderson told The Salt Lake Tribune. He added, in reference to Romney, “He has never been a Trump supporter.”
* Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) delivered an unscheduled speech at the National Congress of American Indians in Washington yesterday, and addressed Donald Trump’s attacks on her purported family heritage.
* Despite Dems’ recent successes, Republicans still win plenty of state legislative special elections: in an Oklahoma state Senate race this week, Casey Murdock (R) prevailed by a two-to-one margin over his Democratic rival.
* On a related note, John LaHood (R) also easily won a state House special election in Georgia this week. * Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), both likely presidential candidates, announced this week that they’ll stop accepting campaign contributions from corporate political action committees. * In related news, Rep. Greg Gianforte (R-Mont.) had pledged during his special-election campaign not to accept any corporate PAC money. He’s since changed his mind. * And in Ohio, the field of Democratic gubernatorial candidates continues to shrink, with former state Rep. Connie Pillich ending her candidacy today.
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
