(nb: I’ll be traveling next week and will have limited time for posting)
GOP launches campaign to end Democratic control of Pennsylvania's top court
National Republicans have begun airing ads urging Pennsylvania voters to oust three Democratic justices on the state Supreme Court in closely watched elections taking place in November.
The justices' allies, though, are also making their case for why Pennsylvanians should retain Justices Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty, and David Wecht, whose victories in 2015 gave Democrats control of the top court in this perennial swing state. Such an outcome would preserve the Democrats' hard-won 5-2 majority.
A commercial from the Republican State Leadership Committee tells viewers, "Democrats weaponized the courts against President Trump before. Now, Pennsylvania's radical judges want 10 more years of unchecked power.”
The narrator encourages Republicans to request mail-in ballots—a pitch that comes as Trump is trying to ban voting by mail nationwide—and "vote 'no' in November.”
www.the-downballot.com/…
National Republicans jump into race for New Jersey governor
National Republicans are wading into the race for New Jersey governor — the latest indication that the party is bullish about Jack Ciattarelli’s chances of flipping the state in November.
Restore New Jersey, a super PAC backed by the Republican Governors Association, is placing an initial $1 million advertising buy over the next week to boost Ciattarelli in the final stretch of his campaign against Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill, who is benefiting from $20 million in spending from her own super PAC.
The reservation is a significant investment from national Republicans, who did not have much of a presence during the 2021 race due to the perception that Ciattarelli couldn’t unseat Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy. The RGA spent more than $3 million in that election, while a group backed by the Democratic Governors Association dropped more than $8 million.
www.politico.com/...
Eric Adams Hints to Business Leaders He Is Open to Quitting Mayor’s Race
At a closed-door meeting on Wednesday hosted by a prominent New York City business group, Mayor Eric Adams opened the door to abandoning his re-election bid if he does not think he can win, according to five people who attended.
Mr. Adams has publicly insisted that he plans to stay in the race. But in his remarks to the business group, the Association for a Better New York, he acknowledged an openness to leaving the contest.
All five attendees recalled him saying that the election would not really be determined until the race’s final weeks. And three of the roughly two dozen attendees recalled Mr. Adams saying his love for New York City outweighed his dislike for Andrew M. Cuomo, the former governor now running for mayor, whose chances would be helped if Mr. Adams were to bow out. (Mr. Adams recently called him a “snake.”)
