Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* It’s Election Day in New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District, and given the narrow margins in the House, officials in both parties are keeping a close eye on the contest to fill the vacancy left by Democratic Gov. Mikie Sherrill. Democrat Analilia Mejia is facing off against Republican Randolph Township Mayor Joe Hathaway, while Alan Bond is running as an independent.
* While there’s no need to treat every quarterly fundraising report as national news, there are some exceptions: In Texas’ Senate race, Democratic nominee James Talarico raised $27 million in the first three months of the year. The Texas Tribune noted the haul is “the largest-ever sum for a Senate candidate — in any state — in the first quarter of an election year.”
* In California, where former Rep. Eric Swalwell has resigned, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has scheduled a special election to fill the vacancy for Aug. 18, with the first round of balloting set for June 16. The San Francisco-area district is a Democratic stronghold, where Republicans face long odds.
* With just five days remaining before Virginia’s redistricting referendum, The Washington Post reported nearly $100 million raised to influence the outcome of the vote, and most of the money has come from “dark money” nonprofits that don’t have to disclose their donors.
* Speaking of redistricting efforts, it has been an open question for months when or whether Florida Republicans might try to redo their district map. With this in mind, it was notable to Gov. Ron DeSantis delaying the gambit once again this week.
* Longtime Republican megadonor Sheldon Adelson died five years ago, but his wife, Miriam Adelson, has picked up where he left off, giving $40 million to the Republicans’ House and Senate super PACs ahead of the midterm elections.
* And amid chatter about his 2028 plans, Vice President JD Vance is headed to Iowa this month, where he’ll campaign for Republican Rep. Zach Nunn, who is generally seen as a vulnerable incumbent, and appear at an event sponsored by a prominent conservative group called Turning Point USA.
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