Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* In Utah’s 3rd congressional districts, Provo Mayor John Curtis won the GOP’s special election primary yesterday, and given the district’s partisan leanings, is now the favorite to succeed former Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R) in Congress.
* Despite the fact that his preferred candidate came in second in Alabama’s Republican Senate primary yesterday, Donald Trump this morning took credit for Sen. Luther Strange (R) picking up “a lot of additional support” thanks to the presidential endorsement.
* It looks like some Texas lines will need to be redrawn: “Federal judges invalidated two Texas congressional districts Tuesday, ruling that they must be fixed by either the Legislature or a federal court. A three-judge panel in San Antonio unanimously ruled that Congressional Districts 27 and 35 violate the U.S. Constitution and the federal Voting Rights Act.”
* Trump’s re-election campaign announced this morning that the president will host a rally in celebration of himself in Phoenix, Arizona, on Tuesday. It’s worth noting that Phoenix is in Maricopa County. I wonder if Joe Arpaio will be on hand to pick up a presidential pardon?
* A new national Marist poll shows the president’s approval rating dropping to 35%, Trump’s lowest support in this poll to date. He fared better in the latest Monmouth University poll, which put Trump’s support at 41%. * The National Republican Senatorial Committee has launched a new ad campaign in Montana this week, attacking Sen. Jon Tester (D) for partnering with “ultra-liberal” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). * And it looks like the White House has its third communications director in eight months, with Hope Hicks, a longtime Trump aide, getting the job.
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
