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Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* Republican officials in Alabama again asked the U.S. Supreme Court to rescue a racially discriminatory district map. The justices, again, said no.
* On a related note, a court-appointed special master yesterday submitted three possible Alabama congressional district maps, and each create two majority-Black districts — which is one more than GOP officials sought.
* In New Hampshire, the latest poll from the Saint Anselm College Survey Center at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics found Donald Trump leading the GOP’s 2024 presidential field with 45% support, followed by former Ambassador Nikki Haley with 15%. Unfortunately for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, the survey found him slipping to third place in the first primary state, with 11%, followed closely by former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie with 10%.
* The latest Republican presidential primary debate will be held tomorrow, and seven of the eight candidates who participated in the first event have qualified for the second. The exception is former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who fell short.
* In related news, the Republican National Committee has also unveiled new standards for the third presidential primary debate, and as of now, only four GOP candidates — Trump, DeSantis, Haley, and businessperson Vivek Ramaswamy — have met the thresholds.
* Trump was in South Carolina yesterday, where he received new endorsements from state Attorney General Alan Wilson and Secretary of State Mark Hammond. Despite the fact that the former president is running against two South Carolinians — Haley and Sen. Tim Scott — Trump has locked up support from all of South Carolina’s top statewide officials.
* And though I was skeptical the participants would agree to the terms, DeSantis and California Gov. Gavin Newsom have apparently agreed to participate in a 90-minute debate moderated by Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Nov. 30.