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Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* Of all the Republicans running for president, only former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson responded to Donald Trump’s indictment by calling for him to withdraw from the 2024 race.
* Republican Rep. Wesley Hunt, meanwhile, suggested this morning that in the wake of Trump’s second indictment, the party may not even need to continue with the nominating process. “[W]e’re going to have a GOP primary?” the Texas congressman asked rhetorically. “America, Donald Trump will be Republican Nominee.”
* Despite the fact that FBI Director Chris Wray was appointed by his former boss, former Vice President Mike Pence said this morning that he’d fire him if elected. “We’re going to clean house all across the top floor,” Pence told Hugh Hewitt this morning. “I just think we need a whole new team.”
* In Wisconsin’s U.S. Senate race, Republican officials practically begged Rep. Mike Gallagher to take on incumbent Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin next year. This morning, the GOP congressman said he’ll run for re-election to the House instead.
* In Missouri’s U.S. Senate race, Marine veteran Lucas Kunce appeared to be the likely Democratic nominee in the race against incumbent Republican Sen. Josh Hawley, but Wesley Bell, the St. Louis County prosecuting attorney, is joining the Democratic primary.
* In the 2022 elections, Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo was the only Republican to defeat an incumbent Democratic governor. Now, as the Associated Press reported, Lombardo is facing “an almost $1.7 million ethics penalty and possible censure for wearing his badge and uniform as Las Vegas-area sheriff in campaign photos and on social media ahead of his election last year.”
* As Gov. Gavin Newsom continues to take steps to raise his national profile, the California Democrat is now proposing an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to address gun policy.