Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* In developments that are likely to have lingering consequences, the Republican-controlled Georgia State Election Board yesterday approved a plan that could empower local officials to refuse or delay certification of local election results.
* The new Democratic Harris-Walz ticket raised $20 million for their campaign on the first day of the new partnership.
* The latest national PBS News/NPR/Marist poll found Harris leading Donald Trump, 51% to 48%, in a one-on-one match-up, and 48% to 45% with third-party candidates added to the mix. (Click the link for information on the survey’s methodology and margins of error.)
* On a related note, the same survey found President Joe Biden’s approval rating climbing to 46%, which is the highest his support has been in this poll since early last year.
* Incumbent Rep. Cori Bush lost in a Democratic primary in Missouri yesterday, falling nearly six points short against Wesley Bell, the St. Louis County prosecutor.
* In Michigan’s closely watched U.S. Senate race, meanwhile, both parties’ primaries went as expected, and Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin will face former GOP Rep. Mike Rogers in the fall.
* In one of the West Coast’s most closely watched U.S. House races, Democratic Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington will get a rematch in November against right-wing Republican Joe Kent. The incumbent congresswoman won in 2022 by a single percentage point in a race she was widely expected to lose.
* And in Alaska, a group with close ties to congressional Democrats is apparently trying to exploit the state’s unique top-four system, investing nearly $1 million to boost three GOP candidates. The idea is to set up a ballot in which incumbent Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola faces three Republican rivals, who in turn would split the GOP vote.
