Just an old sweet Senate retirement keeps Georgia on my mind in today's ELECTION NEWS:
HOUSE
- KS-02: The plot thickens in the mystery scandal surrounding Rep Steve Watkins (R), as former governor Collyer calls for him to be primaried. Still not clear what Watkins has actually done.
- NC-09 (special): GOP nervous about blowing this one, sending in Trump and Pence. District is rather red - Trump 54-43 - but given the scandal over the original election, hard to say what voters are thinking at this point.
SENATE
- GA: Surprise resignation announcement today by Sen Isaakson (R), due to health reasons. Takeaways:
- Gov Kemp (R) will name an appointed replacement.
- Special election will take place on 2020 Election Day for the balance of the term (two years). However, rather than the regular primary=>general method for normal elections - including the other Senate race, for Perdue's seat - it will be a "jungle" primary of all parties on Election Day, then (if no one exceeds 50%), a runoff on Jan 5. Note that Jan 5 is after Congress is sworn back in, so theoretically, we could not know who will really control it until after the session starts.
- A number of Dems had declared against Perdue, not clear yet if anybody will switch. Stacey Abrams, though, has declared herself definitively out.
- Obviously, this is a slight reach for Dems (both Sabato and Cook have it as Lean R). But GA has been moving left, and at minimum it broadens the very narrow path to a Dem Senate majority.
- MA: Vox write-up of Joe Kennedy's potential primary challenge of Markey. I'm not sure there's any way to interpret this other than JKIII wanting to move up to a better job.
- CO: As expected, state Dems are not unanimously thrilled with the DSCC's early endorsement of Hickenlooper. This kind of stuff often blows over, but Hick has some credibly opponents in the primary, so tbd.
STATES
- MS gov:
- Some weird voting errors in yesterday's gubernatorial runoff in Mississippi. It likely didn't matter, as Lt Gov Reeves cruised to victory, 54-46.
- Dem candidate Hood has released an internal poll showing him up43-42. However, a Jim Crow-era law requires the governor to also win a majority of House districts, which would be challenging. There's legal action around this, but for now, Hood has a challenge ahead of him.
- KY gov: Gov Bevin (R), who hasn't released any polling to answer the Dem polls that show him down by several points, is spending his time publicly feuding with the state Rep who came surprisingly close to knocking him out in the primary.
- Congress is investigating irregularities in the vote count in Georgia last year. It looks like it may be a ballot design issue - a la the one in Florida that hurt Nelson - but still tbd.
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