Elections news - March 6, 2020

Every Tuesday can be Super if you put your mind to it and more in today's ELECTIONS NEWS:

HOUSE

• TX-28:  Disappointingly, progressive Jessica Cisneros's challenge of conserva-Dem Rep Henry Cuellar failed 52-48.  As with last year's failure to take down Dan Lipinski, crossover GOP voters are likely to blame.  However, Cisneros did far better than pundits expected, and it would not be at all a surprise to see her mount an even stronger challenge in 2022.
• TX-12: GOP incumbent Kay Granger turned back a strong primary challenge 58-42.  This one was interesting, featuring a Club For Growth attempt to primary out the ranking member on Appropriations.  Granger got Trump's backing, though.
• CA-25: California takes a long time to count votes, but it looks like party-backed Christy Smith was the top vote-getter here, followed closely by GOPer Mike Garcia.  Former Rep Steve Knight looks to have been locked out, while  professional left-wing jerkwad Cenk Uygur and former Trump lackey George Papadopoulos both got low single digits.
• MI-03: Incumbent Indy Amash still mulling over running again or running for president as a Libertarian.  District would be Likely R if he didn't run; in a three way-race, anything could happen.

SENATE

• NC: Turning back a GOP ratf*cking attempt to boost a progressive rival, DSCC-backed Cal Cunningham won the primary here and is the Dem nominee.  Polling of the general has shown a close race, probably a small Cunningham lead.
• ME: PPP poll has presumptive Dem nominee Gideon up 47-43 on GOP incumbent Collins.  PPP notes that this is a shift of more than 20 points since they polled this race last spring, due to plummeting approval among Democrats.
• AX: PPP poll has presumptive Dem nominee Kelly up 47-42 on GOP incumbent McSally.
• PPP goes on to note that recent polls by them of the NC and CO races also had Dem leads outside of the margin of error.  Dems need to pick up four seats and the White House to take Senate control (if Doug Jones loses in AL, which is near certain), so this is encouraging news.
• AL:  The GOP race will be going to a Mar 31 runoff.  Former football coach Tuberville led with 32, while former Senator Sessions squeaked into second at 31.  Signs are bad for Sessions, particularly since Trump is openly attacking him.
• GA (B): UGA poll has GOP Rep Collins at 21, GOP incumbent Loeffler at 19, three Dems trailing behind there.  Democrats really need to clear the field and consolidate behind one candidate in the relatively near future.
• WY: Conservative mega-donor Foster Freiss has decided not to jump into the GOP primary here, in a bit of a surprise.  Former Rep Cynthia Lummis is now the presumptive GOP nominee, and thus (it being Wyoming), almost surely the next Senator.
• MA: Suffolk poll has Rep Kennedy up 42-36 on Sen Markey in the Dem primary.  Polling has been mixed, but it seems safe to say this is pretty close one.
• NH: UNH poll has Dem incumbent Shaheen up about 20 points on any of her potential GOP rivals.  NH can be pretty purple, but Shaheen seems safe at this point.
• TX: Dems headed to a May 26 runoff here.  Veteran MJ Hegar took first with 22; state Sen Royce West with 15.
• MT: In what would be an enormous get, gov Bullock is supposedly going to yield to Dem pressure and run for the Senate seat.  While the race would still be Lean R, he's basically the only Democrat who could win the race.
• OK: GOP incumbent Inhofe, who'd been waffling a bit, confirms that he'll be running again.
• MS: Mason-Dixon poll has GOP incumbent Hyde-Smith up 55-43 on Dem Espy.

STATES

• NC GOV: ECU poll has Dem incumbent Cooper up 49-41 on GOP nominee LG Forest.
• Nice work in a Maine House special election, where the Democrat won 58-42 in a district that went for Trump 50-42.

ODDS & ENDS

• The progressive attempt to oust LA County DA Jackie Lacey is still up in the air.  She's just a hair over 50% at this point, which would allow her to win outright and not go to a second round in November.
• Also still up in the air - Dem efforts to flip the Board of Supervisors in Orange County (not looking great) and San Diego County (better).