The Dictatorship
Wednesday’s Campaign Round-Up, 7.15.26: Maine Democrats to appear in hastily arranged debate
Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* In the wake of Graham Platner’s candidacy in Maine, Democrats in the state are engaged in an unusual sprint to choose a new Senate candidate to take on the incumbent, Republican Sen. Susan Collins. Several contenders have thrown their hat into the ring but, given the compressed schedule, it seemed unlikely that the would-be nominees would have time to debate.
And yet, there’s going to be a debate anyway. Politico reported that eight Democratic contenders will share the stage tomorrow for a hastily arranged debate. The article noted, “News Center Maine, which is sponsoring the event, had initially invited three people who ran for governor — Troy Jackson, Shenna Bellows and Nirav Shah — as well as Jordan Wood, who ran for an open House seat. But the news organization later decided to invite everyone who has so far submitted the paperwork to run for the seat that opened when Platner was forced to withdraw.”
If all goes according to plan, the debate will run for 90 minutes and be televised statewide. Nine days after the debate, there will be a nominating convention in Bangor, ahead of the July 27 deadline for Maine Democrats to submit the paperwork for the new nominee.
As for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who has played an active role in supporting candidates he sees as strong contenders, the New York Democrat has already said he intends to remain neutral as Maine Democrats prepare to choose a candidate.
* In Michigan’s closely watched Democratic Senate primarythe latest Detroit News/WDIV-TV found Rep. Haley Stevens leading Abdul El-Sayed, 48% to 41%. Primary Day in the Wolverine State is Aug. 4.
* Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo is facing a tough re-election fight in a battleground state, and it probably won’t help matters that when he was recently pulled over by a Las Vegas police officer, the Republican governor wasn’t ticketed after identifying himself.
* As this week got underway, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster appointed late Sen. Lindsey Graham’s younger sister, Darline, to fill her brother’s Senate vacancy. A day later, she was sworn into officethough she is not expected to compete in the upcoming special Republican primary.
* Colorado’s messy Republican gubernatorial primary is over and ministry leader Victor Marx prevailed, though he’s apparently struggling to win over his former intraparty rivals, including state Sen. Barb Kirkmeyer and state Rep. Scott Bottoms, who described Marx as a “conman” and a “fraud” during the primary process.
* Speaking of messy Republican gubernatorial primaries, Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who recently came up short against billionaire Rick Jackson, said this week that he hasn’t yet decided to endorse his former rival. “We’ll see,” he told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
* And in Minnesota, which is also home to a competitive Republican gubernatorial primary, Donald Trump has formally thrown his support behind pillow salesman Mike Lindell. The president’s backing will likely help the notorious conspiracy theorist in his Aug. 11 primary, though Lindell is expected to struggle badly in a general election.
Steve Benen is a producer for “The Rachel Maddow Show,” the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He’s also the bestselling author of “Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans’ War on the Recent Past.”