Headlines were dominated this week by the announcement that Special Counsel Robert Mueller had delivered his report on his investigation into possible collusion between President Trump’s 2016 campaign and the Russian government to Attorney General William Barr. In a letter to members of Congress, the attorney general summarized the special counsel’s findings and explained that Mueller did not find any evidence of collusion.
Several presidential polls were released this week surveying Democratic primary voters, and all showed Vice President Joe Biden with a commanding lead. In Senate news, Rep. Reuben Gallego (D-AZ), who was reportedly considering a run for Senate as the progressive choice, elected not to run, clearing the path for former astronaut Mark Kelly (D-AZ). Elsewhere in the American southwest, Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM) announced that he would not seek reelection in 2020. The House saw a retirement announcement as well, as Rep. Jose Serrano (D-NY), a 16-term Democrat from the South Bronx, announced he will retire at the end of his term due to a battle with Parkinson’s disease.
Check out these stories and more in this week’s Race Rundown.
NATIONAL
NPR: “Abolishing The Electoral College Would Be More Complicated Than It May Seem” (NPR, 3/22/19)
Special counsel Robert S. Mueller III delivered a report on his inquiry into Russian interference in the 2016 election to Attorney General William P. Barr, The New York Times reports. (The New York Times, 3/22/19)
In a letter summarizing the findings, William Barr wrote that there was not sufficient evidence to establish that President Donald Trump committed obstruction of justice, The Associated Press reports. (The Associated Press, 3/24/19)
NATIONAL PRESIDENTIAL
A new poll from The Morning Consult of Democratic primary voters shows former Vice President Joe Biden leading the field with 35% support. He is followed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (25%), Sen. Kamala Harris (8%), former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (8%), and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (7%). (The Morning Consult, 3/26/19)
- A new Quinnipiac University poll of Democratic primary voters shows former Vice President Joe Biden leading the field with 29% support. He is followed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (19%), former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (12%), Sen. Kamala Harris (8%), and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (4%). (Quinnipiac University, 3/28/19)
- A new Emerson Polling survey of Democratic primary voters shows former Vice President Joe Biden leading the field with 39% support. He is followed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (20%), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (11%), Mayor Pete Buttigieg (6%), and former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (5%). (Emerson Polling, 3/28/19)
The Democratic Socialists of America has endorsed Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in his second run for president, The Associated Press reports. (The Associated Press, 3/22/19)
O’Rourke said he would support taxing the wealth of the country’s super-rich, The Huffington Post reports, embracing a proposal first unveiled by fellow presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren. (The Huffington Post, 3/22/19)
A spokesperson for former Vice President Joe Biden denied that the prospective presidential contender has a “pre-cooked” plan to pick Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams as his running mate early in the primary, The Hill reports. (The Hill, 3/22/19)
SENATE ARIZONA
Rep. Ruben Gallego will not run for the U.S. Senate in 2020’s special election, he told The Arizona Republic, clearing the path for retired astronaut Mark Kelly to take on incumbent Republican Sen. Martha McSally without a potentially bruising primary fight. (The Arizona Republic, 3/25/19)
CNN reports that former astronaut Mark Kelly returned $55,000 he was paid for a speech in the United Arab Emirates last year at an event sponsored by the country’s crown prince and attended by leaders of the country. (CNN, 3/22/19)
SENATE GEORGIA
Democrat Stacey Abrams, met last Friday with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who is trying to recruit her to run for the Senate next year, The Washington Post reports. (The Washington Post, 3/22/19)
SENATE MAINE
Bangor Daily News: “An Early Poll Shows Susan Collins With A Lead Over A Likely Challenger” (Bangor Daily News, 3/26/19)
Derek Levasseur, a conservative blogger, has announced that he’ll run a Republican primary against U.S. Sen. Susan Collins in 2020, Bangor Daily News reports. (Bangor Daily News, 3/25/19)
SENATE MONTANA
NBC-Billings: “Montana’s U.S. Senate Race In 2020: Showdown Or Snoozer?” (NBC-Billings, 3/27/19)
SENATE NEBRASKA
Nebraska’s political world has seized on the idea that Sen. Ben Sasse could be tapped to replace the departing president of the University of Nebraska, potentially creating an open seat in the solidly Republican state, Roll Call reports. (Roll Call, 3/27/19)
SENATE NEW HAMPSHIRE
ABC-Manchester reports that Gov. Chris Sununu is seriously considering running against Sen. Jeanne Shaheen next year. (ABC-Manchester, 3/28/19)
SENATE NEW MEXICO
New Mexico Democratic Sen. Tom Udall announced that he will not seek reelection in 2020, Politico reports. (Politico, 3/25/19)
- FiveThirtyEight: “What Does Udall’s Retirement Mean For New Mexico’s 2020 Senate Race?” (FiveThirtyEight, 3/26/19)
Politico reports that Rep. Ben Ray Luján is expected to run for Senate in 2020. (Politico, 3/26/19)
The Hill reports that Republican Mick Rich, who unsuccessfully challenged Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) in New Mexico last year, is weighing a second Senate bid, this time for the seat being vacated by Udall. (The Hill, 3/26/19)
The Santa Fe New Mexican speculates on other possible candidates that could run to replace Udall. (The Santa Fe New Mexican, 3/26/19)
SENATE TEXAS
Fort Worth Star-Telegram: “Conservatives Worried About Dems In Texas Decide To Leave Cornyn Alone” (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3/24/19)
Latino Victory Fund is launching an effort to draft Democratic Rep. Joaquín Castro to run for Senate in Texas, Politico reports. (Politico, 3/22/19)
HOUSE NATIONAL
The DCCC warned political strategists and vendors that if they support candidates mounting primary challenges against incumbent House Democrats, the party will cut them off from business, The Intercept reports. (The Intercept, 3/22/19)
HOUSE ALABAMA
AL-01: Yellow Hammer reports that former state Senator Bill Hightower is considering a run for the seat being vacated by Rep. Bradley Byrne. (Yellow Hammer, 3/22/19)
HOUSE COLORADO
CO-01: Colorado Politics reports that former Interior secretary and U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar, one of Colorado’s most high-profile Democrats, is getting behind Crisanta Duran, the former House speaker challenging U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette in a primary. (Colorado Politics, 3/25/19)
HOUSE FLORIDA
FL-15: Tampa Bay Times reports that Democrats Kristen Carlson and Andrew Learned are considering running again to challenger Rep. Ross Spano (R-FL). (Tampa Bay Times, 3/29/19)
HOUSE GEORGIA
GA-06: Former GOP Rep. Karen Handel announced on Monday she’s running for her old seat in Georgia’s 6th District in 2020, Roll Call reports. (Roll Call, 3/25/19)
HOUSE ILLINOIS
ILLINOIS: Roll Call: “Challengers Circle As Democrats Work To Hold Key Suburban Chicago Seats” (Roll Call, 3/27/19)
HOUSE NEW YORK
NY-11: Former Rep. Michael Grimm, who served eight months in prison for tax fraud and went viral after threatening to throw a reporter off a balcony in Congress, says he is close to making another run for his old Staten Island House seat, The Hill reports. (The Hill, 3/28/19)
NY-16: Rep. Jose Serrano, a 16-term Democrat from the South Bronx, says he has Parkinson’s disease and will retire at the end of his term, The Associated Pressreports. (The Associated Press, 3/25/19)
HOUSE TEXAS
TX-32: Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that Tania Burgess, a Richardson woman who identifies as a “Republican America First Candidate,” has filed to run for the GOP nomination to challenge Democrat Colin Allred in 2020. (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3/27/19)