Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) jolted the political world yesterday announcing he’ll retire at the end of his term next year. So far, Corker is the only Senate incumbent in either party who’s announced his retirement.
* In Virginia’s gubernatorial race, the latest Monmouth University poll shows Ralph Northam (D) with a five-point advantage over Ed Gillespie (R), 49% to 44%.
* On a related note, a new poll from Christopher Newport University shows Northam with a similar lead, 47% to 41%.
* Donald Trump will travel to Indiana today to help promote his party’s tax-reform package, and he’ll be joined by Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), a red-state Democratic incumbent facing a tough challenge in next year’s midterms.
* Referencing Alabama’s upcoming Senate special election, the president cheered on Roy Moore on Twitter this morning, saying he hopes the Republican wins in November. The election is Dec. 12. (Trump later deleted the message.) * Sen. Susan Collins (R) had originally intended to announce her plans for next year’s gubernatorial race in Maine by the end of September. She now expects to make an announcement “by Columbus Day,” which is Oct. 9. * And in Michigan, RNC Chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel has announced she will not be running for Congress in the 11th congressional district. It’s an open-seat race in light of Rep. Dave Trott’s (R) retirement.
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
