DDHQ Morning News Spotlight: Alaska General Special Election Field Set, Plus Democrats Continue to Interfere in GOP Primaries Across Nation

Morning Headlines

• DDHQ projects Mary Peltola (D) will advance to the August 16th special election for Alaska’s at-large congressional district. She is the fourth and final candidate to advance, joining Sarah Palin (R), Nick Begich III (R), and Al Gross (undeclared). As of Thursday morning, Palin leads the top-four primary with 28.3% of the vote, followed by Begich III at 19.3%, then Gross at 12.8%, and finally Peltola at 8.7%. Palin is considered the favorite to win this race in mid-August.
• The Democratic Party of Virginia is attempting to boost minor GOP Candidate Jarome Bell in his congressional primary next Tuesday. Bell is opposed by Jen Kiggans, the establishment pick for the district who is considered to be heavily favored in the race. Democrats sent out mailers attempting to boost Bell’s MAGA credentials by saying he is a Big Lie supporter and will govern as a copy of Trump. Bell notably voiced support to execute election officials in all 50 states who he deemed culpable for 2020 election fraud. When asked for comment, the executive director of the House Majority PAC said, “House Majority PAC was founded on the mission of doing whatever it takes to secure a Democratic House Majority, and in 2022, that’s what we will continue to do.” The House Majority PAC’s strategy has been under fire from conservatives, moderates, and liberals alike who claim it is irresponsible for Democrats to pursue a majority at all costs and ignore the impact their rhetoric will have on the Republican Caucus.
• David Valadao continues to inch ahead of right-wing challenger Chris Mathys as he attempts to join Rudy Salas in the general election this fall. Although only ~56% of the vote is reported and Valadao holds a tenuous 1,200 vote lead, only votes from his stronghold of Kern County are outstanding. Mathys defeated Valadao in Tulare County but does not stand to gain more from the area given that only 800 ballots are outstanding. Valadao voted to impeach Trump and would be the first Republican to win re-nomination after doing so. While Valadao faces an uphill battle for re-election this November in a Biden+13 district, he will be boosted by his significant crossover appeal to Democrats.
• A USA Today/Suffolk University poll released in Pennsylvania this week has Democrats ahead in both key statewide races. For U.S. Senate, Democrat John Fetterman leads Republican Mehmet Oz by a margin of 9 percentage points among likely voters (46%-37%), a significant early advantage in what is expected to be one of the most competitive elections this November. Likewise, in the governor’s race, Democrat Josh Shapiro leads controversial Republican nominee Doug Mastriano, albeit by a smaller margin. Among likely voters, 44% expressed support for Shapiro, 40% for Mastriano, with 3% supporting 3rd-party candidates and 13% undecided.
• Former Congresswoman Corrine Brown (D) has entered the race for Florida’s 10th congressional district, less than a month after pleading guilty to one federal count of tax fraud. Brown served the district from 1993 to 2017 and will now join a crowded field of candidates looking to succeed Rep. Val Demings, who is running for U.S. Senate. The district is unanimously considered safe and/or solidly Democrat by election forecasters, so the winner of the Democratic primary is expected to cruise in November.

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