Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* In Tulsa, Oklahoma, the local mayoral race won’t be decided until the fall, but the two finalists for the office to emerge from this week’s primary are both Democrats, which means the party will flip the office from “red” to “blue.”
* In Donald Trump’s latest interview with Phil McGraw (TV’s “Dr. Phil”), the former president said: “I guarantee you, if Jesus came down and was the vote counter, I would win California.” The GOP candidate lost the Golden State four years ago by roughly 29 points, and Republicans have presented no evidence of election irregularities in the state.
Things are getting unhinged in Trump’s interview with Dr. Phil.
— American Bridge 21st Century (@American_Bridge) August 28, 2024
In less than 30 seconds, he lies about CA voters “getting seven ballots,” election officials “automatically” marking Republican candidates as losers in elections, and that if Jesus counted the votes he’d win CA. pic.twitter.com/RtN9nVXefh
* As debate negotiations continue, a spokesperson for Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign said in a statement: “Both candidates have publicly made clear their willingness to debate with unmuted mics for the duration of the debate to fully allow for substantive exchanges between the candidates — but it appears Donald Trump is letting his handlers overrule him. Sad!”
* In Ohio’s closely watched U.S. Senate race, Republican Bernie Moreno’s past as a car dealer has been mocked and scrutinized, but NBC News reports that he’s nevertheless returning to the industry. Despite claims that he’s sold off all of his companies, the GOP candidate is investing millions in two ventures that are developing a new car dealership.
* Several Democratic strategists are launching a new super PAC focused specifically on “election protection and battles that could come after Election Day.” The effort will be called Democracy Defenders, and it’ll be led by Jim Messina, who was Barack Obama’s 2012 campaign manager.
* Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s presidential campaign is over, but the independent conspiracy theorist ended his candidacy too late to be removed from ballots in some states, including Michigan and Wisconsin.
* And a new $10 million ad campaign from Building America’s Future and Americans for Consumer Protection will apparently try to discourage Black voters from supporting Harris, who’d be the nation’s first Black woman to serve as president. The attack ads will reportedly focus on battleground states, including Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina and Wisconsin.
