Maddow Blog | Tuesday’s Campaign Round-Up, 4.30.24

Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.

* In Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — home to two closely watched U.S. Senate races this year — a new CBS News poll found incumbent Democratic Sens. Bob Casey and Tammy Baldwin with seven-point leads over their respective Republican rivals.

* Gov. Kristi Noem’s shoot-her-family-dog problem doesn’t appear to have helped the South Dakota Republican’s chances of joining Donald Trump’s ticket. Semafor spoke to a source close to the former president’s campaign who said, “Governor Noem just keeps proving over and over that she’s a lightweight.”

* In New York 26th congressional district, there’s a special election today to fill the vacancy left by former Democratic Rep. Brian Higgins, who stepped down in February. In this Buffalo-area race, Democratic state Sen. Timothy Kennedy will face off against Gary Dickson, a Republican town supervisor in the Buffalo suburb of West Seneca.

* With just hours remaining before the filing deadline in Florida, retired Navy aviator Aaron Dimmock launched a Republican primary campaign against Rep. Matt Gaetz. The New York Times noted the connections between Dimmock’s campaign and former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy — who, of course, lost his gavel as a result of Gaetz’s efforts.

* The Libre Initiative, an initiative created in large part by the Koch brothers, kicked off an ad campaign this week targeting congressional Democrats who endorsed President Joe Biden’s successful economic agenda. The ad campaign is targeting Latino voters.

* Speaking of dubious advertising messages, a Trump-aligned super PAC is running commercials claiming that the Biden administration is “paying rent for illegals.” MAGA Inc., of course, is brazenly lying.

* Only two states — Nebraska and Maine — allocate electoral votes based on congressional district. As Nebraska Republicans consider plans to adopt a winner-take-all model, with the intention of helping Trump, Maine Democrats have said they’re prepared to respond in kind, with the intention of helping Biden.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com