Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* Though the Republican’s formal campaign kick off is still a couple of days away, former Vice President Mike Pence filed the paperwork this morning on his 2024 presidential campaign.
* According to the Republican National Committee’s new criteria, presidential candidates who want to participate in the August debate will have to (a) pledge to support the party’s eventual nominee; (b) reach at least 1% in three qualifying polls; and (c) receive donations from at least 40,000 donors, including 200 donors from at least 20 states and territories.
* A Democratic group called Building Back Together, which promotes the White House’s agenda, is launching a six-figure ad buy to promote the budget deal President Joe Biden helped negotiate with the GOP leaders. The commercials will begin airing on national cable today.
* During a CNN town hall event in Iowa yesterday, host Jake Tapper asked Republican presidential contender Nikki Haley how she defines “woke.” The former ambassador responded by criticizing transgender girls, suggesting — without evidence or decency — that transgender girls in sports are leading to suicidal ideation in teenage girls.
* Speaking of Haley, the former South Carolina governor suggested in an interview last week that U.S. forces “need to align” with non-European countries, including Russia, though her campaign aides soon after said she misspoke.
* Though many leading national candidates have come to rely on small donors, a New York Times analysis found that Gov. Ron DeSantis raised over $8.2 million from around 40,000 donors after his launch: “That works out to an average of more than $200 per donor — a figure far higher than is typical for a campaign heavily funded by grass-roots support.”
* Speaking of the governor, DeSantis managed to say the word “woke” seven times in 20 seconds during an event in April. During a campaign event in Iowa, however, the Floridian appears to have broken his own record, using the word “woke” seven times in just under 19 seconds, which is impressive and pitiful in equal measure.
* How enthusiastic is Republican Sen. Mike Rounds about Sen. Tim Scott’s presidential candidacy? The South Dakotan appeared on “Meet the Press” yesterday and wouldn’t commit to supporting his party’s 2024 nominee if Scott ends up falling short.