April 26, 2018, 11:12 a.m.
AL GOV: Gov. Kay Ivey (R) in her latest statewide TV ad highlights her work to clean up “the mess” of corruption and grow jobs. Ivey: “Don’t give me a mountain oyster and tell me it’s seafood. … Alabama is working again. And that’s no bull!” (release)
CA GOV: State Treasurer John Chiang (D) during the last filing period “transferred $3.1 million from his treasurer’s account into the governor’s account and raised more than $1.2 million, totaling nearly $4.4 million. … The campaign will report nearly $7.9 million cash-on-hand as of April 21.” (release)
Chiang in his first TV ad “touts his record on fiscal issues as California faced the recession. … Chiang’s campaign is spending about $500,000 to air the ad in Los Angeles and San Diego in coming days.” (Los Angeles Times)
Families & Teachers for Antonio Villaraigosa for Governor 2018, a PAC supporting former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D), bought another $1.8 million in TV ads and raised an additional $750,000. (California Target Book)
“Democratic strategist Rose Kapolczynski is joining Villaraigosa’s gubernatorial campaign as senior communications adviser. … Kapolczynski, an adviser to former Sen. Barbara Boxer (D), volunteered for Villaraigosa on his first, failed run for Los Angeles mayor in 2001.” (Politico)
Businessman John Cox (R) “was fined more than $22,000 by the Federal Election Commission in 2002 for failing to report several hundred thousand dollars he gave his campaign during a race for the U.S. Senate.” (Mercury News)
GA GOV: “EMILY’s List’s voter mobilization and education project, WOMEN VOTE! along with Black PAC Georgia” started airing an ad “statewide” on Wednesday saying former state House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams (D), the “daughter of two Methodist ministers, believes all Georgia children deserve access to a quality public education” and “believes in an economy where we all can get ahead, no matter where we start.” (release)
Abrams spoke at a Washington bookstore on Thursday to promote her new book, Minority Leader, a memoir that also “serves as a handbook for outsiders” that has received praise by feminist activist Gloria Steinem. Abrams mentioned in the context of enabling “marginalized communities” her previously disclosed interest in running for president, while emphasizing she’s focused on running for governor. Abrams: “Ambition is a part of what drives me. And what I’ve learned is that I cannot be bashful about declaring my ambitions.” After mentioning the “onslaught” of criticism from the RGA and other places for admitting an interest in national office, she said, “To me the conversation is the wrong one. … Why wouldn’t you want me to imagine? And the reality is we are too often taught that our ambitions are wrong if they exceed somone else’s expectations of us. And while I talk about his for a minority community, it’s true for everyone. Until we own our story and our power and our right to want more, we’re always going to settle for less.”
Abrams in a brief interview after her talk, which was otherwise devoid of politics besides a request to attendees to volunteer for and donate to her campaign, said the book “gave me an opportunity to continue to make a living. … It is a very helpful thing that Henry Holt was willing to employ me to write this book. In terms of timing, there is a convenience of coincidence, and I’m excited to have the opportunity to not only talk about my leadership in the context of this book but the leadership that I can bring to the state of Georgia.” (Hotline reporting)
Former Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander (D) is supporting Abrams. (Twitter)
NE GOV: The NRA endorsed Gov. Pete Ricketts (R). (release)
NY GOV: Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) and the State Democratic Party hired Lis Smith to do rapid response. (NY1)
Actress Cynthia Nixon’s (D) “economic development discussion with local leaders originally was scheduled Wednesday at a Buffalo community center, but Nixon was turned away after being told the venue couldn’t host political events. After being turned away from a second venue, [she] met with community leaders at Babeville, musician Ani DiFranco’s concert hall located in a refurbished church. Cuomo’s ‘power establishment’ forced the venue changes, Nixon said after the round table discussion.” (AP)
“Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro (R) effectively locked up the Republican Party’s nomination for governor after the Westchester County GOP threw its support behind him late Wednesday.” Westchester GOP Chairman Doug Colety (R) “endorsement pushed Molinaro over the 75 percent threshold of the GOP’s weighted nominating vote, assuming committee members vote with their county leaders at the party’s convention next month. … Westchester’s support came the same day eight county chairs, including Broome GOP Chair Bijoy Datta, flipped their endorsement from [state Deputy Majority Leader John DeFrancisco (R)] to Molinaro.” (Poughkeepsie Journal)
“DeFrancisco said Wednesday he has decided to stop actively campaigning.” DeFrancisco: “I’m not going to get out of the race. … But it’s just a fact of life that the chances are very slim, and Molinaro is going to be the nominee unless something very unexpected happens.” (Syracuse Post-Standard)
OK GOV: First son Donald Trump Jr. will headline a fundraiser for Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb (R) on May 2 in Oklahoma City. Tickets range between $500 and $2,700. (release)
Lamb and mortgage executive Kevin Stitt (R) tied at 19 percent apiece in a Magellan Strategies poll (April 18, 19, 22; 644 GOP LVs; +/-3.9%), indicating the race is likely headed to a runoff for the open seat. Former Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett (R) and former U.S. Attorney Gary Richardson (R) followed closely behind at 17 and 12 percent respectively. The rest of the field trailed in the single digits. (release)
WY GOV: Former Rep. Cynthia Lummis (R) “endorsed Cheyenne businessman Sam Galeotos (R) on Wednesday,” praising his “unique skill set and background” necessary “to downsize and have a lean, robust state government.” (KPVI)
SD GOV: Rep. Kristi Noem (R) narrowly led state Attorney General Marty Jackley (R) 41-37 percent Clout Research (R) poll (April 21-23; 815 LVs; +/-3.4%). “Both candidates are seen with largely favorable eyes by GOP voters, with 77% favorable toward … Jackley, and 73% favorable toward … Noem.” (release)
TN GOV: Term-limited Gov. Bill Haslam (R) had a 61-27 percent approval rating in the latest Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy survey (April 17-19; 625 RVs; +/-4%). President Trump’s was 54-42 percent. (release)