Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* The latest national Quinnipiac poll, released yesterday, found Democrats leading Republicans on the generic congressional ballot, 48% to 40%. The same poll showed Donald Trump’s approval rating dropping slightly to 39%, from 41% a few weeks ago.
* After striking out at the Colorado Supreme Court, Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.), facing the prospect of not appearing on the ballot, brought his case to federal district court yesterday. Colorado’s primary is June 26.
* In Arizona’s congressional special election this week, results continue to come in, and as of this morning, Rep.-elect Debbie Lesko’s (R) margin of victory is down to just four points. This is a district that Donald Trump won by 21 points, and where Republicans enjoy a registration advantage of 17 points.
* Twelve years ago, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D) defeated incumbent Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee in Rhode Island. This year, Chafee is eyeing something akin to a rematch, but this time, Chafee, a Republican-turned-independent-turned-Democrat will run against Whitehouse in a Democratic primary.
* Texas is moving forward with plans to hold a special election to replace former Rep. Blake Farenthold (R), but Gov. Greg Abbott this week wrote to the former congressman, demanding that he cover the election’s costs. Farenthold, of course, is still on the hook for the $84,000 he used to settle a sexual harassment claim. * Though there are tricky legal questions involved, former Rep. Patrick Murphy (D) and former Rep. David Jolly (R) are exploring the possibility of running as a bipartisan gubernatorial ticket in Florida this year. * And speaking of the Sunshine State, Gov. Rick Scott (R) has already launched the first television ad of his new U.S. Senate campaign. It touts his support for, of all things, congressional term limits.
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
