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Thursday’s Campaign Round-Up, 5.18.23

Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.

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Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.

* While Gov. Glenn Youngkin recently seemed to suggest that he won’t be a presidential candidate in 2024, the Virginia Republican released a new video this morning that seemed like a big hint that he’s planning a national campaign.

* In Nevada, Republican officials don’t appear thrilled that Jim Marchant, a failed secretary of state candidate, is their only announced U.S. Senate contender, and the National Republican Senatorial Committee has become increasingly unsubtle about trying to recruit retired U.S. Army Captain Sam Brown into the race. It would be Brown’s second attempt following a failed campaign last year.

* Speaking of second chances, a growing number of 2024 U.S. House races are shaping up to be rematches of 2022 contests, and the list keeps growing: Democrat Will Rollins, who lost to Republican Rep. Ken Calvert last year, and Democrat Michelle Vallejo, who lost to GOP Rep. Monica de la Cruz, have both launched their candidacies.

* In keeping with President Joe Biden’s recent messaging, Unite the Country, a super PAC backing the Democrat’s re-election, has launched a new television ad emphasizing the campaign’s “freedom” theme.

* Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ political operation unveiled a list of endorsements from New Hampshire Republicans this week, though things got a little tricky when a couple of people on the list said they’re still backing Donald Trump.

* In related news, the former president’s political operation rolled out a slate of 150 endorsements from Iowa Republicans this past week weekend, but a few of the people included told Axios “they were not consulted and remain undecided.”

* And in West Virginia, where GOP officials have high hopes for Gov. Jim Justice’s U.S. Senate campaign, his candidacy is not without controversy. NBC News reported this week that the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is planning to file suit to obtain the governor’s official schedule and calendar, which Justice’s office has been reluctant to share.