Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* Donald Trump set out to destroy Republican Rep. Thomas Massie in a Kentucky primary, and a week ago, the president secured the results he wanted: Ed Gallrein defeated the incumbent by roughly 10 points. Six days later, however, the GOP incumbent started plotting a comeback bid.
As this week got underway, Massie raised a few eyebrows by filing the paperwork to run again in the district he currently represents.
In a press statement, the congressman said the move would allow him “to raise funds to continue my political operations supporting my position as a current office holder and as a potential candidate for federal office,” adding that he had not yet decided whether to run for the House again or potentially seek some other office.
* In a bit of a surprise, a federal court on Tuesday morning blocked Alabama Republicans from using a new, GOP-friendly district map for this year’s elections. State officials are expected to appeal this defeat to the Supreme Court.
*It’s primary day in Texas again, where local voters will weigh in on several closely watched primary runoff elections. The marquee contest is the Republicans’ Senate primary, in which state Attorney General Ken Paxton appears well-positioned against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn.
* On a related note, there are other races of interest in the Lone Star State, including a member versus member primary in the Houston area: Thanks to Texas Republicans’ gerrymandering scheme, incumbent Rep. Christian Menefee will face off against fellow incumbent Rep. Al Green in a Democratic race. It’s shaping up to be a generational contest: Green, at 78 years old, is 40 years older than his intraparty rival.
* In Michigan’s closely watched gubernatorial race, former Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan surprised many by ending his independent candidacy last week. The move came as a relief to Democrats, who argued that Duggan’s bid made a Republican victory more likely.
* In Maine’s closely watched Senate race, the latest statewide poll from Portland-based Pan Atlantic Research found Graham Platner, the presumptive Democratic nominee, with a seven-point lead over five-term incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins, 48% to 41%.
* And the latest national Quinnipiac poll showed Democrats with an 11-point lead over Republicans on the generic congressional ballot. The results dovetail with the latest New York Times/Siena poll, which showed the minority party with the same advantage.
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