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Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* When it comes to the “enthusiasm gap” — measuring which party’s voters are more eager to cast ballots in the next election — an NBC News poll in March showed Republicans with 17-point advantage. Now, that gap has narrowed to just two points.
* There are a bunch of interesting primaries and special elections today in Florida, New York, and Oklahoma, and I put together a collection yesterday highlighting some of the races I’ll be watching.
* In Arizona’s U.S. Senate race, while many Republicans are rallying behind Blake Masters’ far-right candidacy, Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly announced new support yesterday from in-state Republican backers, including former top staffers to late Sen. John McCain and former leaders of the state’s GOP.
* In Nevada’s U.S. Senate race, with recent polls showing Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto ahead, Club for Growth Action, a super PAC aligned with Republican politics, is investing $2 million in new attack ads. The commercials will slam the incumbent senator for supporting increased enforcement of federal tax laws.
* On a related note, the Club for Growth is also going on the air in Utah, investing $2.5 million in ads in support of Republican Sen. Mike Lee, who’s facing a tougher-than-expected race against independent candidate Evan McMullin.
* The latest Fox News poll in Wisconsin found Democratic Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes with a relatively small lead over Republican Sen. Ron Johnson, 50 percent to 46 percent.
* And in Indiana, Republican officials met over the weekend and nominated Rudy Yakym to replace the late Rep. Jackie Walorski on the November ballot. Yakym, a businessman who backed Walorski’s campaigns, was endorsed by the late congresswoman’s husband and is a heavy favorite in Indiana’s solidly “red” 2nd congressional district.