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Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* There are plenty of primary races worth watching in Ohio and Illinois today, including several congressional contests.
* President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign wasted little time in trying to capitalize on the controversy surrounding Donald Trump’s “bloodbath“ rhetoric from the weekend, releasing a digital ad on the subject yesterday.
* The incumbent Democrat’s re-election campaign also launched new ads this week targeting Black voters and AAPI voters, as well as a new ad coinciding with the launch of Latinos con Biden.
* Bloomberg News reported that Donald Trump has ruled out Vivek Ramaswamy as a possible running mate, though the former president is apparently eyeing the Republican entrepreneur as a possible Cabinet secretary — including a possible nomination to lead the Department of Homeland Security.
* Speaking of former GOP presidential candidates, former Gov. Asa Hutchinson wrote an op-ed for USA Today saying that he won’t endorse Trump’s 2024 candidacy.
* The No Labels operation hoped that former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan would consider running as its presidential candidate, but the Republican has withdrawn from consideration.
* Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer asked Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin to reconsider his retirement plan and instead run for re-election in West Virginia as an independent. Late last week, Manchin described the idea as “a long, long, long-shot scenario,” adding, “I don’t anticipate that happening. I don’t anticipate running.” To my ear, however, the senator left the door ajar.
* And in New Jersey’s Democratic U.S. Senate primary, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop raised a few eyebrows this week by rescinding his endorsement of Tammy Murphy and throwing his support behind Rep. Andy Kim. Fulop is one of the leading Democrats running in the state’s 2025 gubernatorial race.