HOTLINE EXCLUSIVE: Former NASA Official Leads Mills in Dem Internal Poll
A poll (570 RVs; May 20-21; +/-4.1%) conducted by the Democratic-affiliated Public Policy Polling found former NASA Chief of Staff Bale Dalton (D) leading embattled Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL 07) 41%-39%, with 19% undecided. The poll, obtained by Hotline, found Dalton up 50%-27% among independent voters, and 54% of respondents said they voted for President Trump in 2024. (release)
- FIRST THINGS FIRST. Dalton still has to win a crowded primary for the chance to challenge Mills. The DCCC added Dalton to its Red to Blue list of featured candidates earlier this month, but that hasn’t guaranteed primary success this year.
- HOTLINE ANALYSIS. The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter lists the race as Likely Republican, but Democrats hope the scandal-prone Mills can help put the Trump +12 district in play.
RACE FOR THE HOUSE: EMILYs List Looks to Expand the Map
EMILYs List launched a $1 million digital and mail campaign against Reps. Jeff Crank (R-CO 05), Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL 13), and Mike Turner (R-OH 10). “The investment in three red seats is a sign that the Democratic women’s organization is bullish about the party’s chances of competing in territory solidly won by” President Trump in 2024.
- KEEP THE RECEIPTS. The campaign will target women in the districts, highlighting rising healthcare costs. (Punchbowl News)
- IN FOR $20 MILLION, IN FOR A POUND. “Of the top 20 self-funded congressional campaigns since 2000 by spending, only four were successful,” a Washington Post analysis found. Most recently, former Rep. David Trone (D-MD) couldn’t nab renomination despite dropping $25 million of his fortune into a primary against Rep. April McClain Delaney (D-MD 06). (Washington Post)
ARIZONA 06: Joanna Mendoza Introduces Herself to Swing District Voters
Marine Corps veteran JoAnna Mendoza (D), the presumptive Democratic nominee in a competitive district held by Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R), launched a more than $300,000 TV ad buy. The two ads, broadcast in English and Spanish, highlight veterans, her military service, and her plans to lower costs. (release)
NEW JERSEY 07: Kean Spotted at New Jersey Home
Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R) was spotted for the first time since early March when he opened the door for a reporter Wednesday evening. The quiet congressman, who faces a tough reelection campaign this fall, has been absent due to an unspecified medical issue and is scheduled to return to Congress on Tuesday. (New York Times)
