Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* Rep Bill Flores (R-Texas) announced this morning that he’ll retire at the end of this Congress, becoming the fifth Texas Republican to step down this election cycle. Flores represents the 17th district, which is a heavily “red” area, and GOP leaders expect to keep the seat in party hands.
* Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) recently exited the 2020 presidential race, but Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) yesterday announced that she’s incorporating much of the governor’s climate plan into her own platform.
* On a related note, ahead of a CNN event on global warming, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) this morning released an ambitious new climate plan, while former HUD Secretary Julian Castro (D) unveiled new details of his climate plan yesterday.
* In Colorado, former state Sen. Mike Johnston (D) ended his U.S. Senate campaign yesterday, saying he was reluctant to go up against former Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) in a primary. Johnston was seen as a top Senate contender, raising $3.4 million for his race — a total that actually topped the $3.1 million Hickenlooper raised for his national campaign.
* Speaking of fundraising, former Vice President Joe Biden’s (D) 2020 campaign had welcomed contributions from lobbyists, but the Democrat’s team said yesterday it would return the donations. * The Biden campaign also yesterday said it does not consider the Iowa caucuses a must-win contest, raising questions as to why the current Democratic frontrunner is trying to lower expectations. * South Carolina’s Mark Sanford (R), a former congressman and governor, was poised this week to announce whether he’d take on Donald Trump in a Republican presidential primary, but Sanford has delayed that decision in light of Hurricane Dorian. * And a reminder for campaign watchers: in just six days, voters in North Carolina’s 3rd and 9th congressional districts will elect new federal lawmakers in special elections.
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
