| | | | |  | | By Madison Fernandez | | Presented by |  | | | | | National Republicans had a heavy hand in battleground primaries. And with the primary season coming to an end, they’ve (mostly) got who they wanted. Following a tough midterms cycle featuring lackluster congressional candidates that contributed to smaller-than-expected gains for the GOP in Congress, party leaders mounted aggressive strategies to block candidates who could tank their chances of victory in both chambers come the fall. And though national Republicans at times found themselves on the opposite side of primaries as local leaders, Washington usually came out on top. Former President Donald Trump has also worked closely with the Republicans’ congressional committees, generally getting on board with who they’re supporting.
|  Former President Donald Trump has worked closely with Republican leadership, including Speaker Mike Johnson, generally getting on board with who they’re supporting. | Wilfredo Lee/AP | All of the Republicans whom Speaker Mike Johnson endorsed and have completed their primaries won. In the upper chamber, the National Republican Senatorial Committee has played an active role in recruiting candidates, resulting in typically only nominal competition in primaries that could have otherwise drained cash ahead of high-stakes general elections. One of the most notable instances was the maneuvering to get defeated 2022 candidate J.R. Majewski out of this year’s race for a rematch against Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur in OH-09. Outside money also poured in to avoid a repeat of Sandy Smith in NC-01, the only competitive House seat in the state, currently held by Democratic Rep. Don Davis. Vulnerable incumbent Republicans, namely Reps. Don Bacon (Neb.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.), fended off primary opponents who could have been weak general election candidates. In the upper chamber, Trump and the NRSC cleared the path to victory for former Michigan Rep. Mike Rogers, who last week won the GOP primary for the state’s open Senate seat, with businessperson Sandy Pensler pointing to Trump’s backing of Rogers as a reason for him dropping out. Pensler was not seen as too much of a threat, though his ability to self-fund could have forced Rogers to put in some more resources in the primary. The other candidates of choice in Senate battlegrounds have also secured decisive wins — Pennsylvania’s Dave McCormick didn’t even have a primary challenger. Some of the closest margins were in Ohio, where Trump-backed Bernie Moreno faced two primary opponents, and Arizona, where some Republicans have still expressed concerns about Kari Lake despite her backing from the NRSC and Trump. Just a handful of states have primary elections remaining in the coming weeks. On Tuesday, Eric Hovde, who faces two little-known challengers, is poised to claim the GOP nod in the Senate race against Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin. Also on Tuesday, Republicans were bracing for a potentially competitive primary in MN-02, Democratic Rep. Angie Craig’s seat. Joe Teirab, who has the backing of Johnson, initially remained in the race after losing an endorsement process from district delegates, despite previously saying that he would drop out if he didn’t get their support. District Republicans ultimately backed Tayler Rahm — but just weeks before the primary, Rahm ended his campaign to join Trump’s team as a senior adviser. Some of Rahm’s supporters have suggested that he could still eke out a win. However, MN-02 Republican Party Chair Joseph Ditto told Score that while Rahm still has a lot of grassroots support, a win is unlikely given Trump’s endorsement of Teirab last week. Teirab campaign manager Christine Snell told Score that they “fully expect to put up a decisive win.” “We understand that this is all very fresh and that Tayler’s supporters are still processing the change,” she said in a statement. “Joe will continue to work to earn their trust and support.” Republicans also have an upcoming battle in Alaska at the end of the month, as a handful of candidates jockey to take on Rep. Mary Peltola, one of the most vulnerable House Democrats this year. Trump and Johnson are backing Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom, though her biggest competition is repeat candidate Nick Begich. Begich has picked up some grassroots support and has a slight fundraising advantage over Dahlstrom. But he said he’ll drop out of the race if he finishes behind Dahlstrom to avoid a splitting of the Republican vote in the general election, where the top four primary vote-getters face off in ranked choice voting. (Dahlstrom has not made the same commitment.) Democrats have also gotten involved in contested primaries this cycle — though not to the same extent as Republicans, who have had a much higher-profile reckoning over candidate quality in recent elections. Happy Monday. Reach me at mfernandez@politico.com and @madfernandez616. Days until the Connecticut, Minnesota, Vermont and Wisconsin primaries: 1 Days until the Democratic National Convention: 7 Days until the Alaska, Florida and Wyoming primaries: 8 Days until the Massachusetts primaries: 23 Days until the Delaware, New Hampshire and Rhode Island primaries: 30 Days until the 2024 election: 85
| | | | A message from TelevisaUnivision: 43% of Hispanic Democrats and 31% of Hispanic Republicans in Florida are uncertain about their presidential primary choice in 2024. Utilize TelevisaUnivision likely voter data to enhance your strategies, tailor messaging to resonate culturally, and establish impactful connections. For pivotal insights into the Miami market and Hispanic voter sentiments in Florida, visit http://hispanicvote.univision.com. | | | | | BUCKLE UP — Trump’s campaign said some of its internal communications were hacked, POLITICO’s Alex Isenstadt first reported. The campaign suggested Iran was to blame, which POLITICO has not independently verified. Regardless of the perpetrator, the hack could be “a troubling sign of more cyberattacks to come between now and November, experts and officials are warning,” POLITICO’s Maggie Miller writes. INSIDE THE CAMPAIGN — “Kamala Harris’ campaign is navigating internal tensions as a team of new senior strategists take hold of an operation largely staffed by people hired when Joe Biden was the Democratic nominee,” POLITICO’s Chris Cadelago reports. “A handful of people in Harris’ circle told POLITICO they worry that the unfolding tension among campaign staffers will splash back on the vice president, and argue that it’s unfortunate and unfair given the strides she’s made in recent years to build a cohesive and loyal unit.” THE WINNER TAKES IT ALL — The fight to change how Nebraska allocates its electoral votes to a winner-takes-all system “is not dead for 2024, and [GOP Gov. Jim] Pillen and legislative Republicans are waiting for the right moment to bring it forward,” the Nebraska Examiner’s Aaron Sanderford writes. “State lawmakers, including the senator who shepherded the idea last session … have said Pillen would call another special session if he can show the governor he has 33 votes to overcome a promised filibuster,” though state Sen. Loren Lippincott, who led the effort, said they do not yet have those votes. … RELATED: “Activists trying to overturn a new state law that would have Maine award its four Electoral College votes to the presidential candidate who wins the national popular vote failed to collect enough signatures to force a statewide referendum this fall,” the Portland Press Herald’s Randy Billings reports. Republican James DuPrie, who was leading the effort, said it collected around 80 percent of the required signatures by last week’s deadline, and “the group is currently evaluating next steps, including a possible citizen initiative, which would give them a longer timeframe to collect a new set of signatures, or overturning the law in the next legislative session.”Want to receive this newsletter every weekday?
| | | | During unprecedented times, POLITICO Pro Analysis gives you the insights you need to focus your policy strategy. Live briefings, policy trackers, and and people intelligence secures your seat at the table. Learn more. | | | | | Want to receive this newsletter every weekday? Subscribe to POLITICO Pro. You’ll also receive daily policy news and other intelligence you need to act on the day’s biggest stories.
| | LEGAL LOOK — Republican Colby Jenkins, who was boosted by the right flank of the party in his primary challenge to Rep. Celeste Maloy in deep red UT-02 and ended up coming 176 votes short, argued to the state Supreme Court that ballots postmarked after the state’s deadline should be counted, potentially changing the outcome of the race. But the “justices appeared skeptical,” The Salt Lake Tribune’s Robert Gehrke reports. “The court will likely issue its ruling within the next week or two.” IN THE STATES — Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill is “strongly considering” a run for governor in 2025, she told Axios’ Sophia Cai and Andrew Solender. Sherrill, who has long been considered a potential contender to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, said she’d make that decision after Election Day.
| | | | A message from TelevisaUnivision:   | | | | | PRESIDENTIAL — MICHIGAN — Harris has 50 percent and Trump has 46 percent in a head-to-head matchup, per a New York Times/Siena College poll. When third-party candidates are included, Harris has 48 percent, Trump has 43 percent and independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has 4 percent (619 likely voters, Aug. 5-8, MoE +/- 4.8 percentage points). … NORTH CAROLINA — Trump has 47 percent and Harris has 44 percent, according to a poll from the John Locke Foundation, a conservative think tank, conducted by GOP firm Cygnal Polling (600 likely voters, Aug. 4-5, MoE +/- 3.99 percentage points). … PENNSYLVANIA — Harris also had 50 percent to Trump’s 46 percent in the NYT/Siena poll. On the full ballot, Harris has 46 percent, Trump has 44 percent and Kennedy has 4 percent (693 likely voters, Aug. 6-9, MoE +/- 4.2 percentage points). … WISCONSIN — Also in the NYT/Siena poll, Harris had 50 percent and Trump had 46 percent. With third-party candidates, Harris has 49 percent, Trump has 43 percent and Kennedy has 5 percent (661 likely voters, Aug. 5-8, MoE +/- 4.3 percentage points). MI-Sen — Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin has 46 percent to Rogers’ 43 percent in the NYT/Siena poll. PA-Sen — Democratic Sen. Bob Casey maintains a large lead over McCormick in the NYT/Siena poll. Casey has 51 percent, and McCormick has 37 percent. WI-Sen — Baldwin also has a lead over Hovde, 51 percent to 44 percent, in the NYT/Siena poll. NC-Gov — Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein is slightly ahead of Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson in the John Locke Foundation poll, 43 percent to 38 percent.
| | | | DON’T MISS OUR AI & TECH SUMMIT: Join POLITICO’s AI & Tech Summit for exclusive interviews and conversations with senior tech leaders, lawmakers, officials and stakeholders about where the rising energy around global competition — and the sense of potential around AI and restoring American tech knowhow — is driving tech policy and investment. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | | | PRESIDENTIAL — Harris says that Trump “has no plan to help the middle class.” In another spot, she touts having “spent decades fighting violent crime” and vows to address the border. … Trump calls Harris a “liberal DA,” hitting her over crime and immigration. … FF PAC, the pro-Harris super PAC, is running a spot featuring her stump speech about supporting working people. MT-Sen — NRSC and Republican Tim Sheehy are running a coordinated spot tying Democratic Sen. Jon Tester to Harris and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) over health care. NE-Sen — Retire Career Politicians, a super PAC, is boosting independent Dan Osborn with a biographical spot. NM-Sen — NRSC and Republican Nella Domenici are up with a coordinated ad, in which Domenici says that she opposes a federal abortion ban and that “abortion should be safe, legal and rare.” NV-Sen — Republican Sam Brown discusses his combat injury, having school-aged children and working in an Amazon warehouse in a coordinated ad with the NRSC. … Brown is running another ad of a clip from an interview he did with NBC News saying he won’t vote for a federal abortion ban. WY-Sen — Republican Sen. John Barrasso, who faces longshot primary challengers later this month, blames Harris and Biden for a “crisis at the Southern border.” … American Chemistry Council is touting Barrasso’s support of American energy. IA-03 — Democrat Lanon Baccam discusses why he joined the National Guard. MI-08 — Democratic state Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet calls Republican Paul Junge a “California trust fund millionaire who moved here to buy a seat in Congress and lost not once, but twice.” MT-01 — Democrat Monica Tranel highlights investigations into Republican Rep. Ryan Zinke. CODA: QUOTE OF THE DAY — “And really, THAT song?” — Celine Dion’s management saying the Trump campaign’s usage of “My Heart Will Go On,” made for “Titanic,” at rallies is unauthorized.
| | | | A message from TelevisaUnivision: With Latinos representing the second largest and fastest-growing population in the country, totaling over 36 million eligible voters, it's essential to cut through the noise and connect meaningfully. TelevisaUnivision stands as the paramount force in Spanish-language media, offering an extensive multiplatform presence encompassing news, sports, cultural events, TV, radio, and streaming services and ensuring engagement with Latino audiences across diverse interests. As the 2024 elections approach, winning over Latino voters is paramount, and TelevisaUnivision is the key. Utilize our unmatched reach to ensure your message resonates effectively with the influential Hispanic electorate, securing the crucial support necessary for success. In the race for victory, TelevisaUnivision's expansive reach and deep connection with the Latino community are indispensable. To maximize your outreach and engagement strategies, visit http://hispanicvote.univision.com. | | | | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Follow us | | | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment