Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* In New Hampshire, a new Suffolk University/Boston Globe poll shows former Vice President Joe Biden (D) leading his party’s presidential field with 21% support, followed closely by Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), with 17% and 14%, respectively. Since April, each of the top three have gained support in the Granite State, though Warren has received the biggest boost.
* Given recent events, this seems terribly unwise: “Democrat Amy McGrath, who is running to unseat Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, on Monday criticized the Kentucky Republican for a photo shared by his campaign that showed a gravestone with her name on it.”
* If Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), who’s facing a multi-count felony indictment, runs for re-election next year, he won’t just face a tough Democratic challenge: former San Diego City Councilman Carl DeMaio (R) announced yesterday he’s running, too.
* In Iowa, J. D. Scholten (D) narrowly lost to Rep. Steve King (R) last year, and the Democrat announced yesterday he’s seeking a rematch. Of course, King will have to overcome a GOP primary challenge first.
* Though it often seems Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) isn’t fond of Capitol Hill, the Nebraska Republican kicked off a re-election campaign yesterday. Sasse, an occasional Trump critic, suggested his decision was fueled in part by his desire to fight against “socialism.” * After Kentucky Democrats capitalized on “Moscow Mitch,” the South Carolina Democratic Party reportedly began selling “Leningrad Lindsey” gear as a way to taunt Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). * Though it was never altogether clear to me whether to count former Sen. Mike Gravel (D-Alaska) as an actual presidential candidate, it’s now a moot point: the 89-year-old Alaskan has called it quits. Gravel has also thrown his support to Bernie Sanders. * And for the record, the president claimed at a campaign rally last week, in reference to his 2016 race, “We won 32 states, there’s never been anything like it.” He actually won 30 states, which plenty of other presidents have done, including four of the last five people to win the White House..
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
