Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* Confirming weeks’ worth of rumors, Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet is running for governor of Colorado next year. The senator’s term isn’t up until 2028, so if his candidacy falls short, he can return to Capitol Hill. Conversely, if Bennet wins, he’ll be able to appoint his own successor.
* In a bit of a surprise, Ben Wikler, the chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party, announced this week that he won’t seek another term in his current position. Wikler hasn’t yet said what he’ll do next, but I have a hunch Democrats eyeing the 2028 presidential race will be reaching out to him, if they haven’t already.
* In New Mexico’s Democratic gubernatorial primary, former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland is no longer running unopposed: Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman threw his hat into the ring, too. Bregman is running to Haaland’s right: While his announcement video criticizes “Elon Musk, his puppet Donald Trump,” it also condemns “the intolerance of the radical left.”
* The Democratic National Committee this week announced five party-led town halls that will be held in congressional districts held by Republicans who haven’t hosted on any in-person town halls recently.
* Former Democratic Rep. Tony Cárdenas of California and Chuck Rocha, a longtime Democratic strategist, are launching a new super PAC intended to boost the party’s standing with Latino voters. The organization will be called Campeones PAC. (“Campeones” is the Spanish word for “champions.”)
* In Texas, state Attorney General Ken Paxton’s GOP primary challenge to Sen. John Cornyn has already picked up some notable endorsements: Republican Reps. Lance Gooden and Troy Nehls have already thrown their support behind the scandal-plagued challenger.
* While there was some scuttlebutt about Rep. Ilhan Omar running for the Senate in Minnesota next year, the Democratic congresswoman has decided to instead run for re-election to the House.
* And as Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear moves forward with his apparent presidential plans, the Democratic governor this week launched a new podcast.
This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
