Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* In April, an NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll found Republicans leading Democrats on the generic congressional ballot, 47 percent to 44 percent. In a new poll from the same outlet — conducted after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade — Democrats now lead Republicans, 48 percent to 41 percent.
* On a related note, the same survey included this tidbit that stood out for me: “78% of Democrats say the court’s decision makes them more likely to vote this fall, 24 points higher than Republicans.”
* Speaking of post-ruling fallout, The New York Times reported over the weekend, “On the Democratic fund-raising platform ActBlue, donors gave nearly $6 million in the first few hours after the 6-to-3 Supreme Court decision came down." That's obviously a lot, but after Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died, ActBlue raised $6.2 million in the first hour after the announcement.
* In Rhode Island, Republican Jeann Lugo, a police officer running for the state Senate, was forced to end his candidacy after allegedly punching his female Democratic opponent at an abortion protest. Lugo has also been arrested and charged with assault and disorderly conduct.
* With only one day remaining before New York’s Democratic gubernatorial primary, the latest SurveyUSA poll found incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul with a 36-point advantage over her next closest competitor, New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.
* This gets a little complicated, but in Alaska’s Top 4 congressional special election, the state Supreme Court ruled over the weekend that the fifth-place finisher will not be elevated into the race, despite the withdrawal of one of the other finalists.
* In Georgia’s closely watched U.S. Senate race, incumbent Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock has a new ad highlighting Republican Herschel Walker’s strange lies about his business background.
* And in Wyoming, Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, facing a fierce primary challenge, is apparently exploring a provocative strategy: The New York Times reported that many Democratic voters in Wyoming “have received mail from Ms. Cheney’s campaign with specific instructions on how to change their party affiliation to vote for her. Ms. Cheney’s campaign website now has a link to a form for changing parties.”