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Statement From DNC Chair Ken Martin on Six Months of Trump's War With Iran
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The Democratic National Committee posted the following news release on Aug. 28, 2026:
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Statement From DNC Chair Ken Martin on Six Months of Trump's War With Iran
Trump and Vance have already spent up to $100 billion of taxpayer money on their war - which has cost consumers about $1,100 per household in higher prices
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Today marks six months since Donald Trump and JD Vance launched their deadly and costly war of choice with Iran. In half a year, Trump's war has claimed the lives of at least 18 U.S. service members and injured over 750 while tanking the economy at
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The Democratic National Committee posted the following news release on Aug. 28, 2026:
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Statement From DNC Chair Ken Martin on Six Months of Trump's War With Iran
Trump and Vance have already spent up to $100 billion of taxpayer money on their war - which has cost consumers about $1,100 per household in higher prices
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Today marks six months since Donald Trump and JD Vance launched their deadly and costly war of choice with Iran. In half a year, Trump's war has claimed the lives of at least 18 U.S. service members and injured over 750 while tanking the economy athome as prices on everything from gas to groceries skyrocket.
Trump and his chief dealmaker Vance have failed to reach an agreement to end their war. Back in March, Trump and Vance said the war would be over "soon" - but just this week, Trump said he is "not in a hurry" to end the war.
In response, DNC Chair Ken Martin released the following statement:
"Donald Trump and JD Vance dragged the U.S. into a deadly and costly war they clearly cannot find a way out of - at the expense of the American people who are struggling to make ends meet. Trump and Vance explicitly promised no new foreign wars, yet six months in, there is no end in sight to the conflict that has driven up prices on everything from gas to groceries. While Republicans claim they cannot bring down costs or fund affordable healthcare for everyday Americans, they continue to spend billions of dollars on a war no one wanted or asked for - and voters will remember this betrayal when they head to the polls in November."
Trump and Vance's war with Iran has already cost American taxpayers $100 billion - four times the original $25 billion estimate - and consumers nearly $150 billion, about $1,100 per household from when the war started. Americans have spent $72 billion more on gas alone since the beginning of the war- $604 per household-- with today's national average sitting at $4.08 per gallon. Prices in July surged by 3.7%, higher than expectations, and close to a three-year high.
Meanwhile, as Americans struggle to afford high prices, Vance is sending out fundraising texts, acknowledging, "Groceries cost what they cost" under the Trump-Vance administration.
It's no wonder Trump's approval rating has sunk to the lowest point of his entire presidency, with a meager 33% of Americans approving of his job performance.
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Original text here: https://democrats.org/statement-from-dnc-chair-ken-martin-on-six-months-of-trumps-war-with-iran/
Quick Clip: Senate Races Heat Up as GOP Candidates Confront Scandals [MS NOW]
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee posted the following news release:
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QUICK CLIP: Senate Races Heat Up as GOP Candidates Confront Scandals [MS NOW]
MS NOW's Jen Psaki: "Roughly two and a half months away from the midterm elections is not a great time for Republican Senate candidates to find themselves in headlines next to the word scandal. And yet they do"
Psaki: "I can't make this up. It's like a new story every week"
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Republican Senate candidates in key battleground states across the country are finding themselves embroiled in what seems like "a new
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WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee posted the following news release:
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QUICK CLIP: Senate Races Heat Up as GOP Candidates Confront Scandals [MS NOW]
MS NOW's Jen Psaki: "Roughly two and a half months away from the midterm elections is not a great time for Republican Senate candidates to find themselves in headlines next to the word scandal. And yet they do"
Psaki: "I can't make this up. It's like a new story every week"
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Republican Senate candidates in key battleground states across the country are finding themselves embroiled in what seems like "a newstory every week" implicating them in career-ending scandals.
From Ashley Moody's scandal involving "misappropriation of $10 million in taxpayer money" to Mike Collins' associations with staffers who have "publicly voiced their emphatic support for Nazis," to allegations that Ken Paxton may have admitted to criminal activity in a legal deposition, to Ashley Hinson's spouse "help[ing] arrange meetings" between an insurance lobbying group and lawmakers, the latest "pattern" is impossible to ignore.
With under 70 days to go until the midterm elections, it's "not a great time for Republican Senate candidates to find themselves in headlines next to the word scandal. And yet they do."
See for yourself:
MS NOW: Senate Races Heat Up as GOP Candidates Confront Scandals (https://youtu.be/Nfb_wtkLiX4)
MS NOW's JEN PSAKI: Let's see if you can recognize the pattern here. First, Florida's Republican Senator Ashley Moody, who is running to keep her seat in November, is, as I mentioned earlier, facing calls to resign after a grand jury report implicated her in a scandal involving allegations of misappropriation of $10 million in taxpayer money when she served as Florida's Attorney General. She claims her office had no role in or knowledge of how the money was spent.
Then there's Republican candidate for Senate in Georgia, Congressman Mike Collins, who is not only being investigated for potential misuse of taxpayer dollars, which he denies, but also facing criticism after multiple people in his orbit, including his own former staffers, publicly voiced their emphatic support for Nazis. I can't make this up. It's like a new story every week.
Then there's the Republican candidate for Senate in Texas, Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is also no stranger to scandal and now finds himself under more scrutiny after his opponent, James Talarico, asked a court to unseal transcripts of a years-old deposition. A source tells MS NOW the campaign has reason to believe Paxton admitted to crimes in one of those depositions. Paxton's campaign is calling Talarico desperate. Of course they are.
And then there's the Republican candidate for Senate in Iowa, Congresswoman Ashley Hinson, who, despite campaigning explicitly to, quote, fight special interests, has reportedly engaged in some questionable behavior with her husband, an insurance executive who chairs a national insurance trade association and lobbying group.
NOTUS reports today that Hinson's husband helped arrange meetings with her and other Iowa Congressional delegation members. The political action committee of that group also gave Hinson more than $67,000. Hinson's campaign told NOTUS that meetings were arranged through the proper and appropriate channels, and that Hinson and her husband maintain the highest ethical standards.
But do you see the pattern here yet? Roughly two and a half months away from the midterm elections is not a great time for Republican Senate candidates to find themselves in headlines next to the word scandal. And yet they do
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See also: POLITICO: Hope Florida reemerges as midterm issue with leaked grand jury report; Washington Post: A former Mike Collins staffer posted KKK and Nazi images. Some Republicans see a pattern; Texas Tribune: Talarico campaign asks court to unseal Paxton's depositions in energy investing dispute; NOTUS: Rep. Ashley Hinson's Husband 'Arranged' a Meeting Between Lobbyists and Iowa Lawmakers -- Including His Wife; DSCC: FACT SHEET: Republican Senate Candidates' Corruption Takes Center Stage in Battleground Races; DSCC: Republican Corruption Creates Major Midterm Liabilities for GOP Senate Candidates; DSCC: NEW: Bribery, Sex Crimes And Stock Trades: Republicans' Corruption Problems Go Beyond Trump [HuffPost]; DSCC: MIDTERMS COUNTDOWN: 99 Days and 99 Ways Republican Senate Candidates Are Deeply Flawed, Corrupt, and Out-of-Touch
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Original text and links presented by source here: https://www.dscc.org/article/quick-clip-senate-races-heat-up-as-gop-candidates-confront-scandals-ms-now/
NRCC: Marcy Kaptur Gave Steel Lobbyist Power of Attorney While Raking in Cash From Lobbyist's PAC
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The National Republican Congressional Committee posted the following news:
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Marcy Kaptur Gave Steel Lobbyist Power of Attorney While Raking in Cash from Lobbyist's PAC
Ohio Democrat Marcy Kaptur "maintained a lifelong friendship with a steel lobbyist -- even giving her power of attorney -- while also accepting campaign donations from the lobbyist and her firm's PAC over two decades in Congress."
"Out of touch Democrat Marcy Kaptur is a failed career politician who is more focused on pleasing her lobbyist friend who funnels cash to her campaign bank account than hardworking
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The National Republican Congressional Committee posted the following news:
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Marcy Kaptur Gave Steel Lobbyist Power of Attorney While Raking in Cash from Lobbyist's PAC
Ohio Democrat Marcy Kaptur "maintained a lifelong friendship with a steel lobbyist -- even giving her power of attorney -- while also accepting campaign donations from the lobbyist and her firm's PAC over two decades in Congress."
"Out of touch Democrat Marcy Kaptur is a failed career politician who is more focused on pleasing her lobbyist friend who funnels cash to her campaign bank account than hardworkingOhioans. Kaptur will be held accountable and retired this fall." - NRCC Spokesman Zach Bannon
Read more from the New York Post here (https://nypost.com/2026/08/27/us-news/ohio-dem-maintained-cozy-relationship-with-steel-lobbyist-once-gave-her-power-of-attorney/) or see excerpts below:
Ohio Dem maintained cozy relationship with steel lobbyist, once gave her power of attorney
New York Post
Josh Christenson
August 27, 2026
An Ohio Democrat maintained a lifelong friendship with a steel lobbyist -- even giving her power of attorney -- while also accepting campaign donations from the lobbyist and her firm's PAC over two decades in Congress, according to photos, records and the congresswoman's office.
Rep. Marcy Kaptur's principal campaign committee took nearly $40,000 from the lobbyist, Eileen Bradner, and her firm's PAC -- and records filed in the city of Alexandria, Va., also showed that Bradner was briefly listed as Kaptur's attorney-in-fact when she was refinancing her condo in August 2010.
"It is extremely bizarre for a Member of Congress to give power of attorney to a major DC lobbyist," said Caitlin Sutherland, executive director for Americans for Public Trust.
"Marcy Kaptur has been outspoken about ethics and transparency, yet she engaged in a relationship that gave the appearance of a potential conflict of interest. This raises serious questions about whether this woman lobbied Kaptur's office or received any other special access or benefit while acting as an agent for the congresswoman."
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Bradner served as a lobbyist for Wiley Rein LLP from 1998 to 2009 and from there, as senior director of federal government affairs at Nucor Corporation before retiring in 2023. She donated $2,150 directly to Kaptur's campaigns between 2004 and 2018.
Nucor Corporation's Political Action Committee also contributed $38,400 between October 2008 and March 2026 to Kaptur's campaign. Bradner was Nucor's top lobbyist from August 2009 to August 2023, according to her LinkedIn account.
At the same time, Kaptur frequently voted in favor of legislation for which Bradner was lobbying, including the Emergency Steel Loan Guarantee and Emergency Oil and Gas Guaranteed Loan Act of 1999, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 and, most recently, the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act.
More than 30 votes or co-sponsorships of legislation coincided with Bradner's lobbying position over a roughly two-decade period, according to a Post review of disclosures and House votes.
The Ohio congresswoman in at least one instance also voted against a bill, which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, that was opposed by Bradner.
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Original text here: https://www.nrcc.org/2026/08/28/marcy-kaptur-gave-steel-lobbyist-power-of-attorney-while-raking-in-cash-from-lobbyists-pac/
NRCC: Amish Shah's Anti-Police Record Of Voting Against Law Enforcement Officers Exposed
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The National Republican Congressional Committee posted the following news:
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Amish Shah's Anti-Police Record Of Voting Against Law Enforcement Officers Exposed
A new look at socialist Amish Shah's record revealed disturbing votes against law enforcement officers, showing Shah cannot be trusted to keep Valley families safe.
* Socialist Shah backed a partisan Democrat plan to rip away qualified immunity protections, which police chiefs said "would have a profoundly chilling effect on police officers..."
* Shah said he is "honored" and "proud" to have endorsements from
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The National Republican Congressional Committee posted the following news:
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Amish Shah's Anti-Police Record Of Voting Against Law Enforcement Officers Exposed
A new look at socialist Amish Shah's record revealed disturbing votes against law enforcement officers, showing Shah cannot be trusted to keep Valley families safe.
* Socialist Shah backed a partisan Democrat plan to rip away qualified immunity protections, which police chiefs said "would have a profoundly chilling effect on police officers..."
* Shah said he is "honored" and "proud" to have endorsements fromrabid defund the police groups that fundraised to abolish police departments and bail out violent criminals.
* Shah voted against protecting police officers from false complaints. Shah also voted against ensuring law enforcement had fair representation on police review boards.
"When the radical Left mob came for Arizona's police officers, socialist Amish Shah egged them on and crawled into bed with defund the police groups. Valley families worried about keeping their communities safe cannot trust Socialist Shah." - NRCC Spokesperson Ben Petersen
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Original text here: https://www.nrcc.org/2026/08/28/amish-shahs-anti-police-record-of-voting-against-law-enforcement-officers-exposed/
Mich. Democratic Party: Blue Book - This November is a Choice Between Lower Costs or More Corruption
LANSING, Michigan, Aug. 29 -- The Michigan Democratic Party issued the following news wrap up:
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The Blue Book: This November is a Choice Between Lower Costs or More Corruption
Hello and welcome to The Blue Book, the Michigan Democratic Party's weekly recap to keep you in the know about Michigan politics. Every Friday, we'll bring you the latest in how Democrats are delivering for Michiganders and standing up to Republican extremism in the Great Lakes State.
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FIVE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW:
1. TRUMP'S TRADE WAR IS NAMED SHAME: Renaming Lake Ontario makes the Great Lakes' acronym SHAME.
... Show Full Article
LANSING, Michigan, Aug. 29 -- The Michigan Democratic Party issued the following news wrap up:
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The Blue Book: This November is a Choice Between Lower Costs or More Corruption
Hello and welcome to The Blue Book, the Michigan Democratic Party's weekly recap to keep you in the know about Michigan politics. Every Friday, we'll bring you the latest in how Democrats are delivering for Michiganders and standing up to Republican extremism in the Great Lakes State.
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FIVE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW:
1. TRUMP'S TRADE WAR IS NAMED SHAME: Renaming Lake Ontario makes the Great Lakes' acronym SHAME.That checks out. Trump's reckless trade war with Canada is another weight periling Michigan Republicans. It doesn't help that they refuse to stand up to the president. Or that they vote for his agenda of cutting taxes for billionaires, cutting healthcare for Americans, and spending tens of billions on foreign wars nobody asked for.
2. DID WE MENTION THE TRADE WAR? Trump's reckless trade war is expected to cost Michigan families $23 billion. That's $5k per household, a.k.a. a lot of money, especially when Americans have been paying more for everything under this president. So much for being tired of winning.
3. JD CANT SPIN TRUMP'S AGENDA: What could be better than Trump sending his least charismatic henchman to Michigan in an attempt to spin his abysmal record? We'd prefer the Trump administration do something to lower costs and help people, but we guess this will work. The more Michiganders know this administration's litany of lies, the better.
4. CORRUPT JOHN JAMES: New reporting from the Detroit Metro Times details how James' net worth, while in Congress, "rose from between about $990,000 and $8 million in 2022 to between $10.8 million and $50.8 million." That's an increase of five to ten times. The Metro Times also noted that 55 percent of James' stock trades fell under the jurisdiction of the House Energy and Commerce Committee on which James served. Coincidence?
5. HEINOUS HUIZENGA: Another sketchy situation involving Bill Huizenga? Shocker! This time, it's Huizenga taking campaign money from a West Michigan company and its executives after they struck a deal with a company he co-owned. After the deal was made, Huzeinga's stake in the company potentially doubled in value. There's so many examples of Huizenga using his office to get rich, it's hard to keep them straight. But don't worry, we'll be here to help.
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
"Let's just call it Lake Natalie so we know you'll start protecting our Great Lakes." - Congresswoman Debbie Dingell on Trump renaming Lake Ontario
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Original text here: https://michigandems.com/new-report-mike-rogers-loved-data-centers-until-voters-didnt-detroit-metro-times/
ICYMI: Socialist Felon William Lawrence Loves the Chinese Communist Party
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The National Republican Congressional Committee posted the following news:
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ICYMI: Socialist Felon William Lawrence Loves the Chinese Communist Party
Socialist felon William Lawrence "has a history of defending the Chinese government and criticizing U.S. economic and military dominance."
Lawrence repeatedly "criticized what he saw as anti-Chinese positions" and "denounced the goals of American military and economic dominance."
"Socialist felon William Lawrence made it clear: he loves the Chinese Communist Party and hates America. Lawrence continues to prove that
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The National Republican Congressional Committee posted the following news:
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ICYMI: Socialist Felon William Lawrence Loves the Chinese Communist Party
Socialist felon William Lawrence "has a history of defending the Chinese government and criticizing U.S. economic and military dominance."
Lawrence repeatedly "criticized what he saw as anti-Chinese positions" and "denounced the goals of American military and economic dominance."
"Socialist felon William Lawrence made it clear: he loves the Chinese Communist Party and hates America. Lawrence continues to prove thathe is unfit to serve in Congress and too extreme to represent Mid-Michigan." - NRCC Spokesman Zach Bannon
Read more from The Washington Times here (https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/aug/26/william-lawrence-michigan-democrat-defended-chinese-government/) or see excerpts below:
Michigan Democrat denounced U.S. 'primacy,' defended Chinese government
The Washington Times
George Caldwell
August 26, 2026
William Lawrence, the Democratic nominee for a Michigan swing district, has a history of defending the Chinese government and criticizing U.S. economic and military dominance.
From May 2023 to October 2024, Mr. Lawrence hosted a podcast called "Hegemonicon," in which he repeatedly said America treats China's government unfairly.
"I'm just always going to say this is madness," he said in an August 2024 episode about the U.S.-Chinese competition.
Mr. Lawrence, a self-identified socialist, explained that he lived in China for six months as a teenager.
"The caricatures that are drawn of Chinese people and the Chinese state is so far from reality. This stuff we hear in the news every day, it's just ... really sad," he said.
The show was published by Convergence, which describes itself as "a magazine for radical insights."
In a separate episode that summer two years ago, Mr. Lawrence criticized what he saw as anti-Chinese positions of the Biden administration and suggested the U.S. lacks high ground when it criticizes China for falling short on human rights and democratic standards.
[...]
Mr. Lawrence's criticism of the Biden administration's cold relationship with China was a common theme on the podcast.
In another episode, Mr. Lawrence criticized those on the left who are "pro-economic nationalism ... who are unabashedly celebrating Bidenomics, including its anti-Chinese protectionist elements."
He accused those figures of resorting to "ill-informed American chauvinism or false or incomplete characterizations of the Chinese system."
Finally, Mr. Lawrence denounced the goals of American military and economic dominance.
"We must strengthen the anti-war movement, the movement for an arms embargo against Israel, but also a broader push against militarism and the U.S. doctrine of primacy," he said.
Mr. Lawrence defined the doctrine of primacy as the U.S. being "capable of winning any war in any arena of the globe at any time."
He said that idea is "actually crazy if you stop to think about it."
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Original text here: https://www.nrcc.org/2026/08/28/icymi-socialist-felon-william-lawrence-loves-the-chinese-communist-party/
Democratic Governors Association: First Poll of General Election Shows Cindy Holscher Leading Ty Masterson in Kansas Gov Race
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The Democratic Governors Association posted the following news:
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First Poll of General Election Shows Cindy Holscher Leading Ty Masterson in Kansas Gov Race
New poll finds Masterson underwater, Holscher with a "huge advantage among moderates"
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New polling first reported by POLITICO shows Kansas Democratic nominee for governor Cindy Holscher leading Republican Ty Masterson, 47 to 46 percent. The poll shows Holscher with a "huge advantage among moderates," winning unaffiliated voters by double digits. Meanwhile, Masterson is deeply unpopular with Kansas voters, and
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The Democratic Governors Association posted the following news:
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First Poll of General Election Shows Cindy Holscher Leading Ty Masterson in Kansas Gov Race
New poll finds Masterson underwater, Holscher with a "huge advantage among moderates"
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New polling first reported by POLITICO shows Kansas Democratic nominee for governor Cindy Holscher leading Republican Ty Masterson, 47 to 46 percent. The poll shows Holscher with a "huge advantage among moderates," winning unaffiliated voters by double digits. Meanwhile, Masterson is deeply unpopular with Kansas voters, andone in five Republicans have already abandoned Masterson in favor of Holscher.
Masterson is further dragged down by voter fatigue with Donald Trump, whose favorability is 8 points underwater in the state.
The polling also finds that Sam Brownback remains an extremely unpopular figure in Kansas with a whopping 64% unfavorability rating. This is a massive vulnerability for Masterson, who not only voted to pass the disastrous experiment but called bipartisan efforts to repeal it "a piece of garbage." Meanwhile, Holscher played a leading role in overturning the failed experiment and putting Kansas on a road to recovery.
"This poll makes clear that Kansans from across the political aisle don't want Sam Brownback's top ally Ty Masterson anywhere near the governor's office, and they are lining up behind Cindy Holscher," said DGA Deputy Communications Director Johanna Warshaw. "Holscher is the only candidate in this race committed to taking on special interests to lower costs, fully fund Kansas schools, and cut property taxes - that's why she's well positioned to win this November."
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Original text here: https://democraticgovernors.org/updates/first-poll-of-general-election-shows-cindy-holscher-leading-ty-masterson-in-kansas-gov-race/
