Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* In the unlikely event you haven’t heard, it’s Election Day in Alabama, where voters will choose a new U.S. senator who’ll serve the remainder of Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ term, which ends in three years. Even now, Roy Moore (R) remains the favorite over Doug Jones (D).
* After avoiding public appearances for nearly a week, Roy Moore and his wife, Kayla Moore, hosted a rally in Alabama last night. Responding to allegations that the candidate is anti-Semitic, Kayla Moore told supporters, “One of our attorneys is a Jew.”
* Four years after his failed attempt at statewide office, E.W. Jackson, a right-wing Virginia preacher, kicked off a Republican U.S. Senate campaign yesterday. Almost immediately, Jackson targeted a GOP rival, Corey Stewart, claiming without evidence that Stewart has “had some dealings” with the Muslim Brotherhood.
* Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) didn’t explicitly endorse Doug Jones by name yesterday, but the governor, who’s up for re-election next year, was willing to say, “I certainly don’t want to see Roy Moore win. That means, obviously, that I would be supporting the alternative.”
* Those looking for good news for Democrats will probably want to check out this chart of the number of Democratic congressional candidates who’ve already launched — and begun raising money in support of — 2018 campaigns. * Though the process isn’t over, members of the Democratic Party’s Unity Reform Commission agreed to several recommendations over the weekend, including a 60% reduction in the number of superdelegates, ahead of the 2020 cycle. * Since the news broke about Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-Texas) using public funds to settle a sexual-harassment case, he’s picked up five GOP primary challengers. Farenthold has since promised to pay taxpayers back for the settlement costs. * And in Minnesota, the reported plan is for Gov. Mark Dayton (D) to name a placeholder senator to fill Al Franken’s vacancy ahead of next year’s special election. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y..) has reportedly urged Dayton — a former senator and former colleague of Schumer’s — to “instead appoint someone who can use the opportunity as a running start for a 2018 campaign.” [Correction: I’d originally described Schumer as “Majority Leader.” I obviously meant “Minority Leader.”]
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
