Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* A new national New York Times/Siena College poll found Democrats narrowly leading Republicans on the congressional generic ballot, 46% to 44%. That’s similar to the pollster’s results from July, which showed Democrats ahead by one point.
* In Pennsylvania’s gubernatorial race, a newly released Monmouth University poll found Democratic state Attorney General Josh Shapiro with a surprisingly large lead over Republican Doug Mastriano, 54% to 36%.
* On a related note, it came as something of a surprise today when the New Jersey Globe reported that Mastriano, a right-wing state senator in Pennsylvania, was also registered to vote in New Jersey as recently as 2021.
* In Ohio, a new Emerson College Polling/The Hill poll showed Republican J.D. Vance with a modest lead over Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan, 44% to 40%, in their closely watched U.S. Senate race.
* As for the Buckeye State’s gubernatorial race, the same poll found a far less competitive contest, with incumbent Republican Gov. Mike DeWine leading former Democratic Mayor Nan Whaley, 50% to 33%.
* North Carolina’s open U.S. Senate race isn’t generating as much attention as some other contests in battleground states, but the latest East Carolina University poll found a tight race: Republican Rep. Ted Budd led former Democratic state Supreme Court Justice Cheri Beasley in the survey, 49% to 46%.
* Alaska’s U.S. Senate race was supposed to be a top-four contest, but Republican Buzz Kelley, who barely advanced to the general election, ended his candidacy this week. His name, however, will still appear on the ballot because Kelley missed the deadline to formally withdraw.
* And on Capitol Hill, Rep. Elise Stefanik’s original plan was to pursue a different role in the next Congress after having served as House Republican Conference chair. This week, however, the New York congresswoman announced plans to seek a second term in her current position.