Never-ending GOP primaries mark new Republican normal: The Note

The TAKE with Rick Klein

Republicans in Maryland wake up Wednesday morning knowing their nominee for governor is state Del. Dan Cox – a Trump-backed election-denier who defeated the candidate backed by Gov. Larry Hogan.

But even that kind of certainty is something of a rarity this primary season. It’s notable especially because Democrats won’t know who won their primary in Maryland until at least Thursday, when mail-in ballots start getting counted.

Primaries that don’t really end are becoming the norm inside the GOP this year. In part as an outgrowth of the mistruths spread by former President Donald Trump, Republican candidates are trafficking in conspiracy theories and unfounded allegations in refusing to concede defeat to fellow Republicans – and, in some cases, are casting doubt on voting that hasn’t even taken place yet.

In Nevada, the runner-up in last month's gubernatorial primary has filed a lawsuit alleging "mathematical certainty" that he in fact won, even though a recount his campaign requested confirmed a 28,000-vote loss.

In Colorado, losing GOP candidates for both Senate and secretary of state are pursuing recounts after losing their races by 9% and nearly 15% respectively. The losing candidate for the latter race -- a job that includes overseeing elections -- claims she has "reasons to believe extensive malfeasance occurred in the June 2022 primary."

In Arizona, ahead of the Aug. 2 primary, Trump's endorsed candidate for governor recently alleged that her opponent "might be trying to set the stage for another steal." His favored candidate for secretary of state was heard on tape at a fundraiser saying, "Ain't gonna be no concession from this guy."

The Arizona Republican Party on Sunday claimed it was "receiving reports that ballots have been destroyed or stolen from mailboxes" -- an assertion a local election official dismissed.

Trump’s future pull in the GOP is in doubt in Arizona, Maryland and a range of other states. But election-denying is one big aspect of Trumpism that remains a part of what Republicans need to account for.

The RUNDOWN with Alisa Wiersema

Against the backdrop of oppressive global heat waves, President Joe Biden is slated Wednesday to travel to Somerset, Massachusetts, where he will deliver remarks on the climate crisis as temperatures reach the mid-90s across the state.

According to the White House, the trip is supposed to spotlight a future manufacturing plant at the site of what used to be a former coal-fired power plant but will now produce transmission cables for Massachusetts’ offshore wind industry.

Headlines about a potential climate emergency declaration appear to be overshadowing the event, however.

Although White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Tuesday that Biden was expected to announce "additional climate actions" during the trip, she did not indicate any specifics about those actions while also tempering any heightened expectations.

"He's not just going to stop with the actions of tomorrow, but I would not plan an announcement this week on a national climate emergency. Again, everything is on the table. It's just not going to be this week on that decision," Jean-Pierre said.

It remains unclear what a national climate emergency declaration would entail. Declarations have been used in the past to help shore-up funding for a particular policy objective.

On Capitol Hill, some Republicans are already preparing their lines of attack against any declaration, despite the White House's public hedging. On Tuesday, Sen. John Barrasso, the top Republican on the Senate energy committee, said he would try to stop an emergency declaration and would "absolutely try to undo it" if the president moves forward, ABC News' Allison Pecorin reports.

The fallout also comes days after West Virginia’s Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin killed his party’s efforts to put forth sweeping climate legislation in the next reconciliation package. On the heels of that move, ABC News’ Trish Turner reports that Manchin uncharacteristically didn’t attend a Democratic caucus lunch this week, during which lawmakers are known to strategize and discuss messaging.

The TIP with Hannah Demissie

The Ohio Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected the state's congressional map, ruling that the districts were gerrymandered and setting off a third round of drawing new seats.

In a four-to-three decision, the court has ordered Ohio lawmakers to devise a new map in the next 30 days for the 2024 elections. If they fail to do so, the Ohio Redistricting Commission will have 30 days to adopt a new congressional map of their own.

The court said the latest rejected map "unduly favored the Republican Party and disfavored the Democratic Party." The map created 10 safe Republican seats and five Democratic seats.

The court ruling comes after months of redistricting litigation in a historic swing state.

Even though the current congressional map has been struck down, it will still be used in this year's midterm election since candidates have already been decided based on the districts it drew.

ONE MORE THING

Senate Democrats' campaign arm outraised its Republican counterpart in the second quarter of 2022 amid a fierce battle for control of the upper chamber, which is currently split 50-50. In numbers shared first with ABC News, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) said Tuesday it drew $33.5 million in donations from April to June, of which $12.5 million was raised in June alone -- with a surge after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. https://abcn.ws/3B20JKd

NUMBER OF THE DAY, powered by FiveThirtyEight

86. That's the number of dissents in criminal procedure cases that Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas have written since Alito's first full term in 2006. FiveThirtyEight's Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux and FiveThirtyEight contributor Laura Bronner analyzed all of the dissents Alito and Thomas have authored over the years to get a better sense of what type of issues these two justices might prioritize next, given there is now a conservative majority on the court that seems more amenable to their style of jurisprudence. Read more from Amelia on Laura on what types of cases Thomas and Alito might be most interested in tackling, in addition to criminal procedure.

THE PLAYLIST

ABC News' "Start Here" Podcast. "Start Here" begins Wednesday morning with the heat wave in the U.S. as parts of the country battle triple-digit temperatures. ABC's Trevor Ault leads us off from Fort Worth, Texas. Then, ABC's Rick Klein takes a look at the Democratic PACs trying to steer Republican voters to specific candidates. And, economist Rakhi Mabud explains why not everyone is taking a hit from inflation. http://apple.co/2HPocUL

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY

• President Biden travels to Massachusetts, where he’ll make remarks at the future site of a manufacturing plant located at the site of a former coal-fired power plant that will produce transmission cables for Massachusetts’ offshore wind industry, according to the White House. While there, he’ll announce new climate-related actions. He’ll speak at 2:45 p.m. ET.
• • The Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing at 10 a.m. ET to examine the Highland Park, Illinois, shooting.
• Former Vice President Mike Pence gives remarks on "the post-Roe world" in Florence, South Carolina, at 7 p.m. ET.

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The Note is a daily ABC News feature that highlights the day's top stories in politics. Please check back Thursday for the latest.