Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* It’s Primary Day in Virginia for several statewide races, including gubernatorial primaries in both parties. The Democratic race, in particular, is expected to be close.
* In Georgia’s special election, where the investment from the House Republicans’ super PAC is up to $7 million, a new SurveyUSA poll shows Jon Ossoff (D) and Karen Handel (R) tied.
* On a related note, early voting in Georgia’s 6th district has been fairly strong, with roughly 94,000 ballots being cast as of Saturday. Election Day is a week from today.
* Vice President Mike Pence will reportedly travel to the Georgia district on Friday to campaign on Handel’s behalf.
* PPP’s latest national poll shows Democrats leading Republicans on the generic congressional ballot, 50% to 40%. Among those who say they’re “very excited” about voting in 2018, the Democratic advantage is even larger, 57% to 39%. * The Koch brothers’ Americans for Prosperity is expanding its investment in a tax-reform ad campaign, supporting a Republican plan that does not yet exist. The Hill reports, “The ads will target about 10 senators, including Democrats Claire McCaskill (Mo.), Sherrod Brown (Ohio) and Bill Nelson (Fla.). All three serve on the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee and are up for re-election in 2018 in states that President Trump won.” * In Binghamton, N.Y., Democratic mayoral candidate Michael Treiman, after having been in the local race for only a week, has ended his campaign, citing death threats. * And by Election Day 2020, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) will be 79 years old. Many of his die-hard supporters, not surprisingly, don’t see his age as an impediment to another presidential 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
