Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* A week after hinting about a political comeback, Alaska’s Sarah Palin announced a Republican congressional campaign on Friday night, hoping to succeed the late Rep. Don Young. Palin, who served half a term as Alaska’s governor before resigning 13 years ago, will be one of 51 candidates on the ballot.
* On a related note, Donald Trump has already endorsed the former half-term governor.
* Speaking of the former president, while most congressional Republicans have no interest in defending Rep. Madison Cawthorn after his cocaine and orgies claims, Team Trump has invited the North Carolina Republican to appear at Trump’s upcoming rally.
* For his part, Cawthorn is now blaming Democrats for the controversy he created, which makes absolutely no sense.
* At a prominent roast held annually in Washington, D.C., Republican Gov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire said Trump is “f***ing crazy,” adding that if the former president were admitted to a mental hospital, “he ain’t getting out!” The governor, who’s running for re-election this year, this morning said he was kidding.
* In Ohio’s competitive Republican U.S. Senate primary, Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas has formally endorsed former state Treasurer Josh Mandel.
* Speaking of the Buckeye State, Frank LaRose, Ohio’s Republican secretary of state, said late last week that he “certainly wouldn’t oppose it” if the legislature impeached state Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor over her gerrymandering rulings.
* And in Colorado’s 7th congressional district, Republican Tim Reichert appears well positioned to win the GOP primary. He’s perhaps best known for describing abortion as “the sacrifice of a child at the altar of Baal.”