Our new book is titled Divided We Stand: The 2020 Elections and American Politics. Among other things, it discusses state and congressional elections.
Alayna Treene, Hans Nichols, Zachary Basu at Axios:
A trio of Trump-endorsed Senate candidates in three crucial battleground states are under fresh scrutiny after a 24-hour barrage of negative headlines, raising new questions about their liabilies in the general election:
- In Georgia, an explosive Daily Beast scoop alleged GOP nominee Herschel Walker lied to his own campaign staff about his undisclosed children. The story paints a picture of a volatile, unprepared candidate whom three sources independently called a "pathological liar."
- In Arizona, the New York Times reported on old writings in which Trump-backed candidate Blake Masters "approvingly quoted a Nazi war criminal" and said he opposed U.S. involvement in both world wars.
- In Pennsylvania, a Politico piece titled "Where in the world is Dr. Oz?" details Republican fears about the GOP nominee falling behind in the polls, going dark on the airwaves since May 21, and struggling to unite the party after a bruising primary.
A leading contender for the Republican nomination for governor in Michigan was sued in the 1990s, accused of using racial slurs about Black people in the workplace and sexually harassing his employees.
One of his rivals pleaded not guilty in federal court on Thursday to misdemeanor charges after authorities said he rallied Donald Trump’s supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 insurrection. Another candidate is a chiropractor and self-help guru who hawked supplements he falsely claimed treated COVID-19.
And even the contender who has garnered mainstream support had an “admittedly lame” hobby acting in low-budget horror pictures, one of which included a zombie biting off a man’s genitals.
In one of the most politically consequential states in the U.S., the Republican primary for governor is shaping up as a battle of whose personal baggage is the least disqualifying. In an otherwise favorable election year for Republicans, the spectacle surrounding the Aug. 2 contest could hobble the party’s effort to defeat Democratic incumbent Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in the fall.
