• WV-Sen: While every poll released to date has shown Gov. Jim Justice easily defeating Rep. Alex Mooney in the May 14 Republican primary for West Virginia's open Senate seat, the frontrunner is still using his opening TV ad to attack the congressman. Justice begins by addressing the commercials that the radical anti-tax Club for Growth has aired against him. "You know me," he says directly to the camera. "Do you really think I'd support Obama, Hillary, or Biden? Totally absurd."
After emphasizing his right-wing credentials, including the fact that he's Donald Trump's endorsed candidate, Justice takes a shot both at his rival's past career as a Maryland state legislator and the Club's acrimonious history with MAGA's master. "When you see Maryland Mooney's lying ads from his D.C. Club, remember what Trump says," Justice argues, before a clip plays of Trump dismissing the Club as "a fraud" and "crooked."
The National Journal, citing data from AdImpact, writes that the ad is airing as part of a relatively small $78,000 buy, though that figure could increase.
• FL State House: Florida Democrats—eager to prove they're getting their mojo back—have a major test coming up on Tuesday, but if they're to succeed, they'll need to overcome a spending gap that has favored the GOP.
In a new piece at Daily Kos Elections, Jeff Singer lays out the stakes in Tuesday's special election for the 35th District in Florida's state House, where Democrat Tom Keen is looking to flip a swingy seat long held by Republicans. But which electorate will show up, the one that favored Joe Biden in 2020, or the one that gave Ron DeSantis a wide win two years later?
DeSantis, though, has seemingly kept his distance from this contest, which is set to take place just a day after what's shaping up to be a humiliating defeat in the Iowa caucuses. Still smarting after the midterms, Sunshine State Democrats would be thrilled to hand their number one nemesis back-to-back losses.
But it's not just about embarrassing DeSantis. Read Singer's preview to learn why Democrats believe this race could say a whole lot more about their chances in November.