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Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose confirmed yesterday that reproductive rights advocates have collected enough signatures to put an abortion rights measure on the November ballot. If successful, Ohioans will add the right to an abortion to the state’s constitution.
* In Iowa, Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds has announced plans to conduct one-on-one chats with most of the GOP’s 2024 presidential candidates. Donald Trump, however, will not be among the participants.
* In the latest national poll from Monmouth University, Trump leads Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in the race for the Republicans’ presidential nomination, 46% to 20%. That 26-point gap is just a little larger than the 24-point advantage the former president enjoyed in Monmouth’s previous poll in May. This is the same pollster that showed the governor leading Trump by seven points in December.
* Axios took a closer look at DeSantis’ presidential campaign finances and noticed a problem: The Florida Republican “has brought in just 17% from small-dollar donors — while 71% has come from people donating $2,000 or more.” As the report added, “Donations of $200 or less are one of the clearest signals of grassroots enthusiasm behind a candidate. These donors are able to give more than once, while wealthy donors often max out on their contributions early in the campaign.”
* It wasn’t easy, but North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum has apparently met the thresholds necessary to compete in the Republican Party’s first presidential debate. The event is scheduled for Aug. 23 in Milwaukee.
* Those who’ve followed Trump’s campaign history might find this report from The Olean Times Herald familiar: “After Donald Trump’s campaign allegedly skipped out on the bill following a 2018 rally, officials in Erie, want the Republican 2024 front-runner to pay up before his rally on Saturday night.”
* And in West Virginia, the crowded field of GOP gubernatorial candidates is now a little smaller: State Auditor J.B. McCuskey has ended his candidacy, and he’ll now run instead for state attorney general.