Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* Ahead of Michigan’s Democratic U.S. Senate primary, Abdul El-Sayed’s detractors stressed one argument above all others: The former state health official would likely struggle as a general election candidate, especially in a state Donald Trump won twice.
Primary voters brushed off electability criticisms and took a chance on El-Sayed, although there’s fresh evidence that he has some ground to make up. A new Fox News poll found former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers, who very nearly won a Senate race in Michigan two years ago, leading El-Sayed, 51% to 47%, within the survey’s margin of sampling error.
Rogers would be the first Republican Senate candidate elected in Michigan in more than three decades.
As for Michigan’s open gubernatorial race, the same poll found Jocelyn Benson, the Democratic secretary of state, leading Republican Rep. John James, 52% vs. 47%.
* In Ohio’s closely watched U.S. Senate race, a new Fox News poll found former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown leading appointed Republican Sen. Jon Husted, 53% to 45%, which is nearly identical to Brown’s advantage from a Fox poll conducted in June.
* In North Carolina’s closely watched U.S. Senate race, the latest Elon University poll found former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper with a double-digit advantage over Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley, 53% to 42%, in the race widely seen as the strongest Democratic pickup opportunity of the 2026 cycle.
* With time running out before South Carolina Republicans’ special Senate runoff primary, Sen. Darline Graham continues to pick up support from the GOP establishment. A day after receiving an endorsement from Sen. Tim Scott, Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette also threw her support behind Graham. The appointed incumbent will face Rep. Ralph Norman on Aug. 25.
* The conventional wisdom has long held that California’s gubernatorial race would not be close, and the latest UC Berkeley/Los Angeles Times poll suggests those assumptions are correct. The survey shows Democrat Xavier Becerra with a sizable lead over Republican Steve Hilton, 55% to 37%.
* And in Texas’ closely watched U.S. Senate race, there’s been a story lingering for years about Republican state Attorney General Ken Paxton allegedly stealing lawyer Joe Joplin’s $1,000 pen in 2014. Now, Joplin is appearing in an amusing new video announcing his support for Paxton’s rival, Democratic state Rep. James Talarico. (For the record, Joplin got his pen back after the police got involved.)
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