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Today's installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* A new national poll from Monmouth University found Joe Biden leading Donald Trump by nine points, 50% to 41%. In April, the same poll found the former vice president with a four-point advantage, and in March, the incumbent president trailed by three points.
* Monmouth also found a sizable gender gap, with Trump leading among men by two points, while Biden leads among women by 20 points. What's more, the same poll suggested education levels remain a key indicator: among white voters without college degrees, Trump leads by 27 points, while among white voters with degrees, Biden leads by 24 points.
* With Libertarian Justin Amash added to the mix, Monmouth found Biden's lead shrinking to seven points, 47% to 40%, with the Michigan congressman garnering 5% support.
* On the congressional generic ballot, Monmouth's poll found Democrats leading Republicans, 52% to 42%, which suggests, at least for now, that the GOP faces very long odds in the party's bid to reclaim the House majority.
* A federal judge yesterday ordered New York officials to restore the state's June 23 primary. This will give Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) an opportunity to add to his delegate count, despite having ended his presidential candidacy last month.
* Reuters reported that Biden's campaign "unveiled a broad policy Monday to help reduce racial wealth and health gaps among new policies aimed at reaching black voters."
* Biden also co-authored a McClatchy News op-ed with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) this week on the lack of proper CARES Act oversight, specifically on provisions benefiting big corporations.
* And while Democratic officials are cautiously optimistic about their U.S. Senate electoral prospects, Politico reports that the party increasingly sees Sen. Doug Jones' (D) re-election effort in Alabama as a lost cause.