Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign announced a $50 million ad buy this morning, and as part of the investment, the Democratic incumbent is promoting this new spot, titled, “Character Matters.” The commercial goes after Donald Trump’s rap sheet and refers to the former president as a “convicted felon.”
* There are some interesting congressional primaries in Virginia and Oklahoma tomorrow. Among the key questions: Will Freedom Caucus Chair Bob Good become the first incumbent to lose in a primary this year?
* Though Rep. Garret Graves recently insisted that he would seek re-election in the fall, the Louisiana Republican reversed course on Friday, announcing that he’d step down this year. Graves’ decision was the result of a redistricting fight that was resolved in the courts.
* In keeping with Trump’s usual temperament, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee issued a Father’s Day statement that targeted “RADICAL LEFT DEGENERATES THAT ARE RAPIDLY BRINGING THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA INTO THIRD WORLD NATION STATUS.”
* Iowa might’ve been a swing state in the recent past, but that status is now gone: A new Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll found Trump with a big advantage over Biden, 50% to 32%, among likely voters.
* Speaking of polling, the latest national survey from Monmouth University found Trump’s felony conviction having very little effect on his political support. Just as notably, the same poll found Republicans leading Democrats on the generic congressional ballot, 48% to 45%.
* And in Florida, Trump issued a call in March for someone to take on Rep. Laurel Lee in a Republican primary because the congresswoman endorsed Gov. Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign. When the former president’s call went ignored, Trump reversed course and endorsed Lee’s re-election bid.