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Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
- With two weeks remaining before the Iowa caucus, the super PAC supporting Nikki Haley’s presidential campaign is launching a new attack ad targeting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. It appears to reflect a rather obvious strategy: These two are battling it out for second place in the Hawkeye State, and the former ambassador to the United Nations hopes to knock the governor to third.
- A couple of hours ago, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise officially threw his support behind Donald Trump’s presidential candidacy. The Louisiana Republican’s endorsement comes nearly two months after House Speaker Mike Johnson also announced his support for the former president.
- Speaking of the House GOP leadership, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s last day as a member of Congress was Sunday. With the California Republican giving up his seat, the GOP’s majority conference is now down to 220 members.
- And speaking of McCarthy, the former Speaker’s handpicked successor, California Assemblymember Vince Fong, is now back on the special election ballot following a state court ruling late last week.
- Trump spoke to Breitbart News, a conservative website, late last week and predicted that President Joe Biden would not be the Democratic nominee in the 2024 elections. The Republican said he expects a “free-for-all” among Democrats.
- Haley was offered an opportunity late last week to say categorically that she wouldn’t be Trump’s running mate. The South Carolinian said she won’t “play for second,” which didn’t exactly answer the question.
- And to the disappointment of Democrats, a federal judge late last week approved a new, Republican-friendly congressional district map in Georgia.