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Today's installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* The final gubernatorial debate between Democrat Terry McAuliffe and Republican Glenn Youngkin was pretty intense, reflecting just how competitive Virginia's 2021 race has become. Election Day is 34 days away.
* In 2004, Matthew Dowd was the chief strategist for then-President George W. Bush's re-election campaign. He soon after became a political analyst for ABC News. As of this morning, Dowd is running for lieutenant governor in Texas — as a Democrat.
* Speaking of the Lone Star State, the latest Quinnipiac poll found that 51 percent of Texans do not believe Republican Gov. Greg Abbott should be re-elected.
* In Arizona's Republican gubernatorial primary, Donald Trump yesterday endorsed Kari Lake for the GOP nomination. Lake, making her first bid for elected office, is a former news anchor who's touted the former president's anti-election conspiracy theories.
* Michigan Republicans recently wrapped up their Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference, and according to an RNC official, the party intends to "massively increase its poll watching and election litigation efforts in 2022."
* Speaking of the Republican National Committee, the RNC this week filed suit against two Vermont communities after officials agreed to let non-citizens vote in municipal elections.
* And Oregon's Democratic gubernatorial primary is getting a bit more crowded, with State Treasurer Tobias Read entering the race yesterday. He'll face state House Speaker Tina Kotek in the race for the Democratic nomination. New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof has also said he's eyeing the race.