Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* In Florida’s gubernatorial race, the latest Florida Chamber of Commerce poll shows Andrew Gillum (D) leading Ron DeSantis (R) by four, 47% to 43%. Given the fact that Chamber of Commerce surveys tend to lean in the GOP’s favor, these results are that much more surprising.
* To the disappointment of Rep. Scott Taylor (R-Va.), the Virginia Supreme Court yesterday rejected Shaun Brown’s (I) effort to be on the ballot in the commonwealth’s second congressional district.
* Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo fended off a Democratic primary challenge yesterday from former Secretary of State Matt Brown. She’ll face Cranston Mayor Allan Fung (R) in November, which will be a rematch of the state’s 2014 gubernatorial race.
* And speaking of primaries, New York today will host the last primary races of the 2018 cycle. Among the contests to keep an eye are on the Democratic races for attorney general and governor.
* In Arizona’s Senate race, a Fox News poll found Kyrsten Sinema (D) leading Martha McSally (R), 47% to 44%, though a poll from the ABC affiliate in Phoenix points in the opposite direction and shows McSally ahead, 49% to 46%.
* In Indiana’s Senate race, most recent polling shows incumbent Sen. Joe Donnelly (D) ahead, but the new Fox News poll found Mike Braun with a narrow lead, 45% to 43%.
* Fox News also pointed to another pick-up opportunity for Republicans in North Dakota, where Kevin Cramer (R) leads incumbent Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D) in the latest poll, 48% to 44%.
* The news was a little better for Dems in Missouri, where the Fox News poll found incumbent Sen. Claire McCaskill (D) ahead of Josh Hawley (R), 44% to 41%. * In Tennessee’s unexpectedly competitive race, Fox News’ poll found Marsha Blackburn (R) with a modest lead over Phil Bredesen (D), 47% to 44%. * Two years ago in Arizona, John McCain (R) blasted his then-Democratic rival, Ann Kirkpatrick, during their statewide race. The National Republican Congressional Committee is now using McCain’s criticisms against Kirkpatrick in her U.S. House race this year, and McCain’s family isn’t pleased. “The McCain family believes it’s unfortunate that the senator’s image is being weaponized this election season,” a family spokesperson told NBC News in a statement. “They hope that there would be more respect, especially so soon after his passing.” * And in North Carolina, Republican congressional hopeful Mark Harris is reportedly launching a new ad buy on the Weather Channel this week. In case this isn’t obvious, North Carolinians are likely to be tuning into the Weather Channel quite a bit right now in light of Hurricane Florence.
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
