Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* With support and encouragement from Donald Trump, Rep. Julia Letlow launched a U.S. Senate campaign in Louisiana, setting up a Republican primary fight with incumbent Sen. Bill Cassidy.
* For his part, Cassidy said in a statement that he intends to remain in the race and expects to “win re-election.” Many of his GOP colleagues, however, appear more circumspect about his prospects.
* In Kentucky’s U.S. Senate primary, Republican Nate Morris’ candidacy just received a major boost: Elon Musk donated $10 million to a super PAC aligned with his campaign. The candidate is running against Rep. Andy Barr and former state Attorney General Daniel Cameron for the GOP nomination.
* How concerned are Republicans about Sen. Susan Collins’ prospects in Maine? The Senate Leadership Fund super PAC, which is aligned with the GOP leadership, plans to spend $42 million in support of the incumbent’s candidacy.
* Michele Tafoya, a retired sportscaster, this week became the latest Republican to launch a U.S. Senate bid in Minnesota. She has no experience in government, but she was the co-chair ot Kendall Qualls’ failed Republican gubernatorial campaign in 2022.
* Under a new map created by the Maryland Redistricting Commission, Democrats would control all of the state’s eight congressional districts. The plan still faces resistance, however, from state Senate President Bill Ferguson.
* Speaking of Maryland, former Republican governor Larry Hogan, who ran an unsuccessful Senate campaign in 2024, announced this week that he will not be a candidate for any office in 2026.
* And Democrats scored yet another special election win in Virginia this week, with Democrat Garrett McGuire set to replace Democratic state Del. Mark Sickles, who’ll serve as Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s finance secretary.
