Virginia News. Shannon Taylor, the Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney, is launching a challenge today against Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.).
Taylor narrowly lost a Democratic primary bid earlier this year for Virginia attorney general. Taylor is parlaying that momentum into a run against Wittman, who holds a seat that spans from the Richmond suburbs to the Northern Neck and the Historic Triangle.
Democrats see opportunity in Wittman’s 1st District, which President Donald Trump won by five points in 2024. It has a significant chunk of federal workers and contractors, as well as active-duty military and veterans, all of whom are affected by Trump’s DOGE cuts earlier this year.
The Democratic primary in this district is already crowded. But national Democrats are excited about Taylor, who is fresh off a statewide run and performed better than expected against former state Del. Jay Jones, who won the attorney general nomination.
Taylor enters the race with endorsements from Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Virginia Democratic Reps. Don Beyer, Eugene Vindman and Suhas Subramanyam.
Michigan News. A slew of prominent Obama administration veterans are fundraising for former Navy SEAL Matt Maasdam in his bid for a Lansing-based battleground district.
Maasdam is looking to challenge freshman GOP Rep. Tom Barrett in the Wolverine State’s 7th District. The Obama alums will hold a fundraiser on Sept. 17 in Dupont Circle for Maasdam.
Among the notable names listed on the invite include: Jay Carney, Ben LaBolt, Stephanie Cutter, Jim Messina, former Sen. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.), former Obama body man Reggie Love, former White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough, former UN Ambassador Susan Rice, former HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Alyssa Mastromonaco, a top White House aide under President Barack Obama.
Maasdam was a military aide to Obama and carried the “nuclear football” for the former president. Maasdam also wouldn’t be the first presidential military aide to go to Congress. Former Rep. John Kline (R-Minn.) was a military aide to Presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan.
Maasdam is locked in a crowded Democratic primary with former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink. This district is a top target for Democrats, who lost it in 2024 when then-Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) left it open to run for Senate.
