Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* Mississippi will hold its U.S. Senate runoff election today, and Donald Trump headlined two events for incumbent Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R) yesterday. At one event, the president said of Mike Espy (D), “How does he fit in with Mississippi? I mean, how does he fit in?” For the record, Espy, who is black, is a lifelong Mississippian, whose family has been in the state for generations. He “fits in” fine.
* On a related note, Barack Obama recorded a robocall for Espy, which reached households yesterday. “My name may not be on the ballot, but our future is, and that’s why I believe this is one of the most important elections in our lifetime,” the former president said on the recording. “Make a plan to vote tomorrow. I’m counting on you to be in line to vote before polls close.”
* Will House Democrats pick up their 40th seat of the cycle by flipping a California district that had been called for the Republican? It sure looks like it.
* In Maine’s 2nd congressional district, where Rep. Bruce Poliquin (R) lost as a result of ranked-choice voting, the congressman requested a recount yesterday, citing concerns about “computer-engineered rank voting” and “artificial intelligence.” I have no idea what he’s talking about.
* Rep. Mia Love (R-Utah) conceded yesterday, in her remarks, she said her party’s president has “no relationships, just convenient transactions.” * Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), one of the leading House Democrats opposed to Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) reclaiming the Speaker’s gavel, indicated yesterday that he’s prepared to negotiate with Pelosi about the party’s leadership posts. That suggests his campaign against her isn’t going especially well. * The latest Gallup poll, released yesterday, found Donald Trump’s approval rating dropping to 38%, while his disapproval rating climbed to 60%, which ties this president’s worst disapproval rating to date. * And with one week remaining before Georgia’s runoff special election for secretary of state, Trump tweeted his support yesterday for Republican Brad Raffensperger. In the process, the president suggested he doesn’t know what Georgia’s secretary of state does, telling the public that Raffensperger “is tough on Crime and Borders, Loves our Military and Vets. He will be great for jobs!”
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
