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The California Senate race continues to heat up, with NBC News’ Ali Vitali scooping that Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., is endorsing Rep. Katie Porter in the race.
Warren says in a video announcing her endorsement that Porter has “a backbone made out of steel,” later adding, “We need her and her whiteboard in the United States Senate.”
The endorsement comes even though Warren’s Senate colleague, Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, has not yet announced if she is retiring. But Vitali reminds us that Warren and Porter have a long personal history. (You can read more about that on the Meet the Press Blog.)
Warren’s endorsement is another boost for Porter, whose campaign announced on Wednesday that it raised $1.3 million in its first 24 hours — all of the donations were online and almost all of them were less than $100.
Vitali and NBC News’ Haley Talbot also report that Porter will not have the primary to herself. Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee told fellow members of the Congressional Black Caucus that she also intends to run.
In other campaign news…
Doc drama: Some Democrats are acknowledging that the discovery of documents with classified markings at Biden’s former office gives Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, an opening to attack the president, NBC News’ Alex Seitz-Wald reports.
Humbled: Virginia GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin told NBC News’ Gary Grumbach in an exclusive interview that he’s “overwhelmingly humbled” by talk of him as a potential 2024 presidential candidate. Asked if he was ruling out a run for president, Youngkin said, “Virginians hired me to do a job and I am enjoying doing it. I feel every day that there’s folks who are counting on us and I’m looking forward to delivering for them.”
Call him maybe: New Hampshire GOP Gov. Chris Sununu told Fox News he is a “firm maybe” on a presidential run in 2024, NBC News’ Julia Jester reports. Sununu also told CNBC that he is “having conversations” about a run for the White House. He was also asked about Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis, another potential presidential contender and said, “Ron’s good. We’re very different in our styles.”
Trump on the trail: Trump is planning to head to South Carolina later this month for his first public campaign event of the year, but the event is not expected to be one of his signature rallies, Politico reports.
Stay just a little bit longer: Democrats are pressuring West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin and Montana Sen. Jon Tester to run for re-election next year, Politico reports. Manchin told Politico he hasn’t decided if he’s running, and a Tester spokeswoman said Tester is “having conversations with his family.” The National Republican Senatorial Committee, meanwhile, launched a trio of digital ads pressuring the two senators, and Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, to “retire or get fired.”
Return of the Mac: West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner jumped into the GOP primary to replace term-limited Republican Gov. Jim Justice, per West Virginia MetroNews.
Pillen’s pick: Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen is set to announce his Senate appointment on Thursday. His pick will replace GOP Sen. Ben Sasse, who recently resigned to lead the University of Florida.
Rouda running: Former Democratic Rep. Harley Rouda announced Wednesday that he’s running for Democratic Rep. Katie Porter’s House seat now that she’s running for Senate, per a campaign press release.
Kent re-run: Joe Kent, a pro-Trump Republican who cost the GOP a House seat in Washington, announced that he is running again in the 3rd District.