By
Today's installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* A week after Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin's son twice tried to vote illegally, the Virginia Republican is still struggling to explain what happened.
* Speaking of the commonwealth, Virginia Democrats conceded last week that they'd lost their majority in the House of Delegates, but now they're not so sure: The Associated Press reported this week that current vote totals show Republicans with 50 seats in the 100-member chamber, while Democrats have 47 seats and lead in one more. As for the other two, GOP candidates are ahead, but "the margins are under 0.5%, which allows candidates to request state-funded recounts."
* In Iowa, Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley has voiced some support for striking John Deere workers, which made it odd that Republicans lashed out at Grassley's Democratic rival, former Rep. Abby Finkenauer for doing the same thing.
* Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona hasn't spoken much to the press lately, but she spoke this week to the Arizona Republic and said Democrats struggled in this year's elections because the party's policymakers have been "bickering among each other." The senator added, "Voters are looking for people who just want to solve problems and get things done and are talking about how to do it in a very practical and pragmatic way that is within the circle of what's normal."
* After Donald Trump issued a statement mocking former Gov. Chris Christie's low approval rating as he left office four years ago, the New Jersey Republican told Axios on HBO, "I'm not going to get into a back-and-forth with Donald Trump, but what I will say is this: When I ran for re-election in 2013, I got 60% of the vote. When he ran for re-election, he lost to Joe Biden."
* Speaking of the Garden State, outgoing New Jersey Senate President Steve Sweeney, a powerful Democratic legislator, conceded yesterday that he lost. It's a step that Jack Ciattarelli, the Republican gubernatorial nominee in New Jersey, still hasn't yet taken.
* And in Arizona, Republican gubernatorial hopeful Kari Lake published a tweet this week "warning" President Joe Biden not to send OSHA officials to Arizona. She added, "As Governor, I will instruct the State Troopers to make certain that Federal OSHA Officials are greeted with handcuffs." Lake is the Trump-backed candidate in the race.