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Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* It would be an exaggeration to say President Joe Biden is widely popular, but NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll shows the Democrat’s standing improving: The survey found Biden with “up to 46% approval with all respondents and an even higher 49% with registered voters.”
* Last week, Fox News’ Sean Hannity asked Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley how she differs from Donald Trump, and she twice dodged the question. Last night, Hannity asked Republican Sen. Tim Scott roughly the same question, and the South Carolinian, who’s also eyeing the White House, also took an evasive approach.
* The New York Times took a closer look at the problems surrounding the New York Democratic Party, and came up with a striking report: “New Hampshire, a state with roughly half the population of Queens, has a Democratic Party with 16 full-time paid staff members. New York’s has four, according to the state chairman, Jay Jacobs. One helps maintain social media accounts that update only sparingly. Most state committee members have no idea where the party keeps its headquarters, or if it even has one.”
* On a related note, the Times also reported this week that House Majority PAC, the main super PAC aligned with the House Democratic leadership, “will unveil a first-of-its-kind, $45 million fund this week dedicated to winning back four seats Republicans flipped in New York, and targeting two other competitive districts. Republicans currently control the chamber by only a five-seat margin.”
* In California, the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies conducted a Senate poll co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times, and it showed Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff narrowly leading fellow Democratic Rep. Katie Porter, 22% to 20%. While much of the state remains undecided, Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee, who just joined the race, was third in the survey with 6% support.
* While GOP leaders continue to insist their party intends to leave Social Security and Medicare alone, former Vice President Mike Pence reiterated his belief yesterday that the popular social insurance programs should be “on the table for the long term.”
* And in Kentucky’s gubernatorial race, Republican hopeful Kelly Craft has launched a new campaign video featuring an image of the recently downed Chinese surveillance balloon.