Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* If Democrats are going to have any chance of a Senate majority, they’ll almost certainly have to succeed in Arizona, where the latest CNN poll shows Kyrsten Sinema (D) leading Martha McSally (R), 50% to 43%.
* On a related note, Dems will be in even better shape if the Senate race in Tennessee goes their way, and CNN’s poll found Phil Bredesen (D) ahead of Marsha Blackburn (R), 50% to 45%.
* Though Arizona’s gubernatorial race isn’t usually seen as among this year’s most competitive contests, the CNN poll found incumbent Gov. Doug Ducey (R) leading David Garcia (D) by just three points, 49% to 46%.
* The news for Republicans was better in Tennessee, where CNN’s poll found Bill Lee (R) with a larger advantage over Karl Dean (D) in the state’s gubernatorial race, 52% to 43%.
* It took a little longer than expected, but the Democratic primary in Massachusetts’ 3rd congressional district wrapped up yesterday, with Dan Koh conceding to Lori Trahan. The district is currently represented by Rep. Niki Tsongas (D), who is retiring. * Though the decision will ultimately be made by state officials, Beto O’Rourke (D), a competitive U.S. Senate candidate this year, endorsed Medicaid expansion in the Lone Star State yesterday. * In California’s 39th congressional district, a new Monmouth University poll found Young Kim (R) with a modest lead over Gil Cisneros (D), 46% to 42%. The seat is currently held by Rep. Ed Royce (R), who’s retiring, creating a key pick-up opportunity for Dems. * And in Virginia’s 2nd congressional district, Shaun Brown’s latest legal effort to appear on the ballot as an independent — an effort that’s caused all kinds of trouble for Rep. Scott Taylor (R) — failed as a Richmond circuit court judge yesterday denied her request. The Daily Press reported, “On the state level, this order effectively ends Brown’s challenge to the court’s decision to remove her name, though she could ask a federal court to intervene if she argues her civil rights have been violated.”
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
