Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* It’s Primary Day in Tennessee, and the race to watch is probably the Republicans’ gubernatorial contest. (As for why Tennessee’s primaries are on Thursdays, instead of Tuesdays, it’s been in the state Constitution since 1796 and no one seems to know why.)
* A federal judge yesterday barred Michigan from enforcing a ban on straight-ticket voting. The Republican-imposed policy, U.S. District Judge Gershwin Drain concluded, was designed to “intentionally discriminate” against African Americans.
* And speaking of the Wolverine State, now that Michigan Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Clement this week cleared the way for an anti-gerrymandering proposal to appear on the statewide ballot this year, the Michigan Republican Party may try to replace her. As the Detroit Free Press reported, Clement, an appointee of Gov. Rick Snyder (R), “must seek election in November for a full eight-year term.” That won’t happen if GOP officials reject her at their convention next month.
* In Massachusetts, where, Rep. Mike Capuano is facing an increasingly competitive Democratic primary against Ayanna Pressley, a new WBUR poll shows the incumbent lawmaker ahead, 48% to 35%.
* In an unfortunate new attack ad, the far-right Club for Growth is airing a spot in Missouri going after Sen. Claire McCaskill (D) for a domestic-violence allegation against her husband from a previous marriage. * Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) helped write a bipartisan education measure, which Donald Trump is poised to sign into law. But at the signing ceremony, the president will be joined by each of the bill’s original sponsors, except Casey, who wasn’t invited. Trump will be in Pennsylvania today to campaign for Casey’s opponent, Rep. Lou Barletta (R). * And Barack Obama yesterday released a list of dozens of Democratic candidates in several states whom the former president has now formally endorsed. Obama will be campaigning for at least some of these candidates ahead of this year’s midterm elections.
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
