Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* A new Monmouth University poll out of Iowa shows Joe Biden leading the Democratic presidential field in the nation’s first caucus state with 28%, but Elizabeth Warren isn’t far behind with 19%. Kamala Harris is third with 11%, followed by Bernie Sanders, who’s slipped into single digits in Iowa, with 9%. Pete Buttigieg is close behind with 8%.
* The same poll showed Kirsten Gillibrand, Andrew Yang, and Tom Steyer each above 1%, which will increase their odds of qualifying for the next round of presidential primary debates.
* Speaking of the Hawkeye State, the Harris campaign today launched its first statewide television ad of the year in support of this 60-second commercial. The California senator’s campaign described it as “a significant six-figure” ad buy.
* In Pennsylvania, which was a key component of Donald Trump’s 2016 victory, a new Franklin & Marshall poll found only 38% of voters in the state believe the president deserves a second term. The same poll found a 61% majority of voters in Pennsylvania want a new president.
* Montana Gov. Steve Bullock yesterday became one of the few Democratic presidential candidates who’s publicly called for the end of the Senate’s legislative filibuster. * The Washington Post reported that Rep. Seth Moulton’s (D-Mass.) long-shot presidential campaign recently laid off part of its staff, which generally isn’t a good sign. * A year after House Minority Leader Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) ran into trouble for accusing three Jews — Michael Bloomberg, Tom Steyer, and George Soros — of trying to “buy” American elections, NRCC Chairman Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) has written a letter to donors accusing the same three men of having “bought” legislative power for Democrats. * And at the latest meeting of the Democratic Socialists of America, the group approved a resolution that the DSA will only support the Democratic Party’s presidential ticket if it goes to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). If not, the Democratic Socialists have said the group will remain neutral in Trump’s re-election campaign.
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
