Political Roundup for April 1st, 2020

Pardon the short roundup; electoral news has been quite limited.

Filing deadlines have closed in four states; check out our updated resource pages for Missouri, New Jersey, South Carolina, and South Dakota!

Congress

Michigan/MI-11: Michigan has notoriously strict petition requirements for ballot access, but the state’s stay-at-home order applies beyond the April 21st filing deadline. Attorney Eric Esshaki, a Republican challenger to freshman Rep. Haley Stevens, hopes his lawsuit against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Elections Director Jonathan Brater will extend the deadline.

NY-24: According to her campaign’s latest internal poll, 2018 nominee Dana Balter holds a 43% lead over Francis Conole in the Democratic primary for NY-24.

Recess: Even Congress is working from home; legislators are looking to steer clear of the nation’s capital for the next month as they work on a second COVID-19 relief package.

The States

Michigan: Like a moth drawn to a flame, or Chuck Schumer to a camera, Donald Trump has intensified his beef with Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D). His allies are urging POTUS to de-escalate the conflict, lest he should continue to raise the potential VP pick’s national profile.

MO-Gov: Veteran Saundra McDowell, the unsuccessful 2018 Republican nominee for MO-Auditor, will challenge popular Gov. Mike Parson from the right. She joins little-known State Rep. Jim Neely and Raleigh Ritter in the race.