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Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* It’s Primary Day in Massachusetts, where the most closely watched contest is the Republicans’ gubernatorial primary. The contenders are Geoff Diehl, a Trump-backed former state legislator, and Chris Doughty, a wealthy businessman and first-time candidate. The winner will face Democratic state Attorney General Maura Healey in the fall.
* On a related note, Donald Trump called into a Diehl campaign event last night, and the former president assured locals that Diehl “will rule your state with an iron fist.” I guess he meant that as a compliment?
* By the end of July, the National Republican Senatorial Committee had raised $181.5 million. The NRSC had also spent 95% of that total. The New York Times had a fascinating report on where all the money went.
* In New York’s gubernatorial race, Republican Rep. Lee Zeldin probably won’t be campaigning with Trump, but he did benefit from a fundraiser with the former president over the weekend.
* A week after winning a congressional special election in Alaska, Democratic Rep.-elect Mary Peltola has already started airing ads for the November general election. In keeping with the national trend, Peltola’s first spot focuses on abortion rights.
* On a related note, Rep. Tom Emmer, the chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, derided Democratic legislation to codify Roe v. Wade protections over the weekend, telling Fox News he considers the effort a “Chinese genocide bill.”
* And on Sunday, Tiffany Smiley, the Republican U.S. Senate nominee in the state of Washington, was asked on CNN whether President Joe Biden was the legitimate winner of the 2020 election. Instead of acknowledging reality, the GOP candidate would only acknowledge that Biden is the president, reinforcing concerns that Smiley is one of her party’s many election deniers seeking statewide office.