The rumor mill kept turning this week as speculation about possible Presidential and Senatorial candidates heated up. Beto O’Rourke has reportedly ruled out a run for Senate and has made a decision about his Presidential ambitions. With O’Rourke presumably out of the Senate picture, Presidential candidate Julian Castro (D) said that his brother Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) is considering a 2020 senate run. On the House front, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper announced the dates for the special election to fill the seat of the late Republican Rep. Walter Jones and candidates have begun to line up for the special election in North Carolina’s 9th District. Catch up with all the news you may have missed in this week’s Race Rundown.
NATIONAL
The Wall Street Journal: “Tax Refunds Bounce Back After Slow Start” (The Wall Street Journal, 3/1/19)
The New York Times: “Justice Democrats Helped Make Ocasio-Cortez. They’re Already Eyeing Their Next Targets” (The New York Times, 2/23/19)
The Hill reports that Robby Mook, who ran Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign, will spend the 2020 cycle running the House Majority PAC, the largest super PAC backing House Democratic candidates. (The Hill, 2/26/19)
The Intercept: “Democrats Across The Country Are Getting Hounded By Voters For Shying Away From The Green New Deal” (The Intercept, 2/25/19)
EMILY’s List named 43 House Republicans and six GOP senators on its initial list of 2020 targets, Roll Call reports. (Roll Call, 3/1/19)
PRESIDENTIAL
The Hill reports on a new Harvard CAPS/Harris poll that shows former Vice President Joe Biden leading the pack of Democrats vying for the party’s 2020 presidential nomination. Biden received support from 37% of those polled, followed by Sen. Bernie Sanders with 22% and Sen. Kamala Harris with 10%. (The Hill, 2/26/19)
Campaign officials told The New York Times that Sen. Bernie Sanders has raised $10 million from 359,914 donors during the first week of his Presidential campaign. (The New York Times, 2/25/19)
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced Friday morning that he is running for president, Politico reports. (Politico, 3/1/19)
Beto O’Rourke has decided whether he will run for president, he said Wednesday, but declined to say what that decision is, Politico reports. (Politico, 2/27/19)
The Boston Globe: “More Than Half Of Mass. Delegation Holds Off On Backing Warren’s White House Bid” (The Boston Globe, 2/27/19)
SENATE NATIONAL
Politico: “Inside Schumer’s Plot To Be Majority Leader” (Politico, 2/28/19)
SENATE ALABAMA
Roy Moore, who lost his bid in 2017 for an Alabama Senate seat, hinted this week that he could be considering another Senate campaign, The Hill reports. (The Hill, 2/28/19)
AL.com reports that former Governor Robert Bentley is hinting at a possible return to politics, and may be considering a bid for U.S. Senate. (AL.com, 2/27/19)
AL.com reports that Alabama State Sen. Del Marsh (R-AL) said he’s seriously considering at run for the U.S. Senate. (AL.com, 2/25/19)
SENATE COLORADO
Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, campaigning Saturday in Iowa ahead of a possible presidential run, dismissed the idea that he might end up running for Senate instead in 2020, Politico reports. (Politico, 2/24/19)
SENATE IOWA
CBS-Cedar Rapids reports that state Sen. Liz Mathis (D-IA) met with Democrats in D.C. this past week. (CBS-Cedar Rapids, 2/26/19)
The Des Moines Register reports that former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack will not run for the U.S. Senate against Sen. Joni Ernst in 2020. (The Des Moines Register, 2/22/19)
SENATE KANSAS
The Hill’s Lisa Hagen reported that former Kansas Sec. of State Kris Kobach is “seriously considering” a run for Senate and is giving himself a 6 month timeline. (Twitter, 2/28/19)
SENATE NEW HAMPSHIRE
Inside Sources reports on a new Emerson University poll that shows Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) is tied with Governor Chris Sununu (R-NH) in a hypothetical Senate matchup at 44% each. (Inside Sources, 2/24/19)
SENATE TEXAS
Presidential candidate Julian Castro (D) said Thursday that his brother Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) is considering a 2020 senate run, The Hill reports. (The Hill, 2/28/19)
According to Dallas Morning News, Beto O’Rourke reportedly will not run for Senate in 2020. (Dallas Morning News, 2/27/19)