Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* MJ Hegar (D), who ran an impressive-but-unsuccessful U.S. House race in Texas last year, announced this morning that she’s running for the U.S. Senate in 2020, hoping to take on incumbent Sen. John Cornyn (R). Hegar may have an intra-party rival: Rep. Joaquin Castro (D) is also eyeing the race.
* The latest University of New Hampshire of Granite State Republicans found Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) leading the pack with 30%, while former Vice President Joe Biden (D) is second with 18%, and South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D) is third with 15%. No other candidate reached double digits.
* For what it’s worth, the same poll found Donald Trump with 76% support among New Hampshire Republicans, while former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld was left with just 5%.
* In national 2020 polling, the latest Monmouth poll of Democrats found Biden leading his party’s field with 27%, followed by Sanders with 20%. Buttigieg and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) were tied for third with 8% each, followed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) at 6%. Every other candidate was below 5% in this survey.
* Kamala Harris made a little news last night, announcing her support for an impeachment inquiry into the president, and arguing that she believes new gun measures can be implemented through executive actions. * Another presidential hopeful, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) also broke new ground, vowing not to use stolen and/or hacked materials from foreign adversaries in her 2020 campaign. * Yesterday, the Democratic National Committee made the same commitment, and pressed the Republican National Committee to follow suit. * And while I’m skeptical Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) will take on Trump in a presidential primary, it’s probably worth noting that he’s in New Hampshire today, and he’ll soon attend an event in Utah — at the invitation of Sen. Mitt Romney (R) and former House Speaker Paul Ryan (R).
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
