Thursday’s Campaign Round-Up, 9.24.26: NRSC reportedly retreating in Georgia, North Carolina

Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.

* With time running out in the midterm elections, both parties are having to make difficult decisions about which races to invest in and which to abandon. With this in mind, Sen. Tim Scott, the chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, briefed his colleagues on the party’s plans in a closed-door meeting Wednesday.

According to a Politico report, the South Carolinian said the NRSC would “focus its spending going forward on defending GOP seats in Maine, Alaska, Ohio, Iowa and Texas and trying to flip the Democratic-held seats of Michigan and New Hampshire.” This was notable in large part because Scott didn’t include the Senate races in North Carolina or Georgia, which appear to be slipping away from Republicans.

For what it’s worth, the NRSC denied the accuracy of the reporting.

* In Michigan’s closely watched U.S. Senate race, the latest New York Times/Siena University poll found former Democratic state health official Abdul El-Sayed ahead of former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers, 49% to 44%.

* In New Hampshire’s closely watched U.S. Senate race, the latest New York Times/Siena University poll found Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas leading former Republican Sen. John Sununu, 50% to 45%.

* In Maine’s closely watched U.S. Senate race, the latest New York Times/Siena University poll found Republican Sen. Susan Collins leading former Democratic state Sen. Troy Jackson, 49% to 46%, though most other recent polls point in the opposite direction and this survey was largely completed before this week’s provocative report from ProPublica.

* Speaking of Maine, former Republican Gov. Paul LePage is running for Congress, and despite his lengthy anti-immigration record, he complained this week about his son’s father-in-law getting deported.

* In Pennsylvania’s gubernatorial race, the latest New York Times/Philadelphia Inquirer/Siena poll showed incumbent Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro on track for a landslide win over Republican Stacy Garrity, 58% to 38%.

* On a related note, the same survey showed Democratic Sen. John Fetterman with a 12% favorability rating among Pennsylvania Democrats.

* And in Alaska’s closely watched U.S. Senate race, there’s new reporting suggesting former Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola’s campaign is suffering behind the scenes from chaotic conditions. The latest Alaska Survey Research poll, however, nevertheless showed her with a modest lead over incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, 50% to 44%.

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