Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* The good news for Republicans is that Michael Rulli won a congressional special election in Ohio yesterday, which will boost the tiny GOP majority in the House. The bad news for Republicans is that the race was closer than expected in a ruby-red district.
* Among the notable primary results from yesterday were congressional contests in South Carolina, where incumbent Republican Reps. Nancy Mace and William Timmons beat back intraparty rivals.
* In North Dakota’s GOP gubernatorial primary, Donald Trump backed Rep. Kelly Armstrong, while outgoing Gov. Doug Burgam backed Lt. Gov. Tammy Miller. In the end, it was Armstrong who prevailed.
* In Ohio, the latest Marist poll found Trump leading President Joe Biden, 48% to 41%, but just as notably, the same survey found incumbent Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown leading Republican Bernie Moreno, 50% to 45%.
* Speaking of Biden, the incumbent president’s re-election campaign unveiled a new digital ad this week highlighting Trump’s close ties to former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio. Politico reported that the ad will target Latinos in three swing states: Arizona, Nevada, and Pennsylvania.
* Elias Irizarry, who was sentenced to two weeks behind bars after participating in the Jan. 6 riot, became the latest Jan. 6 candidate to lose on the ballot: Irizarry failed yesterday against an incumbent Republican state legislator in South Carolina.
* And in Texas, Brandon Herrera last month lost a Republican primary runoff against incumbent Rep. Tony Gonzales. Herrera, who runs a pro-gun YouTube channel, is now pursuing a recount.
