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

* In Nebraska’s, South Dakota’s and Idaho’s U.S. Senate races, Democrats are counting on an unorthodox approach: Instead of running candidates of their own, party officials and activists are backing independent candidates who are taking on Republicans in these reliably red states. Would this work in Montana, too?

In theory, it might: Independent Seth Bodnar is running against Republican Kurt Alme, and recent polling shows the GOP nominee consistently falling short of 50% support. But in practice, the Democratic nominee in the race, Alani Bankhead, has so far insisted that she’ll remain in the race, to the great relief of Republicans in Montana and elsewhere.

In a new op-ed for The Washington Post, Bankhead reiterated the position that Alme and his party are hoping she’ll maintain.

“More than 200 people have emailed asking me to drop out,” she wrote. “Twenty-two Democratic state legislators signed a letter urging me to quit. Then came the calls. A sitting U.S. senator offered me a job, presumably if I would leave the race. A sitting Democratic governor called and asked me to step aside. Former Montana governor Steve Bullock, a Democrat, invited me to coffee. And a former Cabinet official left a voicemail offering to ‘be a sounding board.’ I refused them all.”

* In Texas’ closely watched U.S. Senate race, Donald Trump agreed that Republican state Attorney General Ken Paxton should debate Democratic state Rep. James Talarico, a position that puts the GOP candidate at odds with the president who supports him.

“President Trump just said Ken Paxton should debate. I agree,” Talarico said in a statement. “Ball’s in your court, Ken.”

* In Oregon, which is home to one of the nation’s most competitive gubernatorial races, the latest Oregonian/OregonLive poll found incumbent Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek narrowly leading Republican state Sen. Christine Drazan, 46% to 44%, which is within the poll’s margin of error.

* In a sign of just how difficult this year has become for Republicans, Rep. Richard Hudson, who currently leads the National Republican Congressional Committee, is having to invest more in advertising in his own North Carolina district. Trump won this district two years ago by 16 points.

* As Trump prepares to take additional steps to boost Bruce Blakeman’s Republican gubernatorial campaign in New York, the latest Marist Poll showed incumbent Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul leading the GOP nominee, 53% to 42%.

* In New Mexico’s statewide races, the latest KOB 4/SurveyUSA poll found Democrat Deb Haaland ahead of Republican Gregg Hull in their gubernatorial race, 47% to 41%.

The same survey showed incumbent Democratic Sen. Ben Ray Luján on track for an easy win over Republican Larry Marker, 54% to 36%.

The post Friday’s Campaign Round-Up, 10.9.26: To the GOP’s relief, Bankhead won’t budge in Montana appeared first on MS NOW.

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