Wednesday's Campaign Round-Up, 5.3.17

Today's installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.* National Democrats' interest in Montana's congressional special election is gaining steam: the DCCC is upping its investment in Rob Quist by $400,000, which comes on top of the $200,000 the party allocated last month. The election is three weeks from tomorrow.* In South Carolina's congressional special election, Archie Parnell won the Democratic primary yesterday, while Tommy Pope and Ralph Norman will now face off in a Republican primary runoff on May 16. The general election in this race is June 20.* In Georgia's congressional special election, which is on track to be one of the most expensive U.S. House races in American history, Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that Jon Ossoff's (D) campaign "has reserved more than $5.2 million in airtime for cable, TV and radio spots through the June 20 runoff. And that's likely just a taste of what's to come."* Speaking of Georgia, state House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams (D) officially filed the paperwork yesterday to run for governor in 2018.* House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) does not believe all Democratic candidates must be pro-choice to enjoy the party's support. "I grew up Nancy D'Alesandro, in Baltimore, Maryland; in Little Italy; in a very devout Catholic family; fiercely patriotic; proud of our town and heritage, and staunchly Democratic," she told the Washington Post. "Most of those people -- my family, extended family -- are not pro-choice. You think I'm kicking them out of the Democratic Party?"* Though physical altercations between candidates and trackers are rare, Republican Scott Wagner, a gubernatorial candidate in Pennsylvania, was accused yesterday of assaulting a tracker from American Bridge 21st Century, a Democratic super PAC.* And in Florida, to no one's surprise, former Rep. Gwen Graham (D) launched her 2018 gubernatorial campaign yesterday. Graham's father, Bob Graham, was a multi-term governor and senator in Florida for nearly three decades.