As the primaries come to an end, more and more is being heard about the superdelegates’ role in choosing the Democratic nominee. But what exactly are superdelegates? How did they become part of the nominating process? And what do they mean in this year’s nominating process?

Simply put, superdelegates are unpledged delegates. They can be party leaders and elected officials or individuals who are selected by the party to attend the convention. These delegates, because they are unpledged, can give their votes to any candidate they choose, regardless of how their state voted.

Superdelegates became a part of the Democratic nominating process following the 1980 convention. At that convention Sen. Ted Kennedy had fought to win the nomination from President Jimmy Carter through rule changes. It was a contentious convention, with the fight focusing on Rule 11(H), which required delegates to support the candidate to which they were bound by the primary process. In order to avoid another convention fight, the rule was rewritten for the 1984 convention (and is still in effect today). Delegates pledged to a specific candidate are no longer be required to support the candidate; instead, they are strongly urged to support the candidate “in all good conscience.”

However, some party members were still worried about a convention fight even with the new rule. A plan was proposed to have a percentage of convention delegates be unpledged voting delegates. It was hoped such change would allow the party to respond to changing circumstances, to better address situations where the electorate hasn’t clearly chosen a candidate, and to include more elected officials in the convention voting without requiring them to declare for one candidate or another.

It was during this process when the term “superdelegate” was coined.

The final agreement allowed for 14 percent of convention delegates to be unpledged delegates and congressional delegates were to be chosen by the congressional caucuses in the House and Senate.

Today, superdelegates are no longer chosen by the caucuses, and the ratio of unpledged delegates to pledged delegates has changed with the addition of more unpledged delegates over the years.

In this year’s Democratic primary campaigns, superdelegates have been come an issue on the campaign trail. Because so many superdelegates have pledged early to support Hillary Clinton, her delegate numbers give her a huge lead over Bernie Sanders.

As of May 27, Clinton has 2,309 delegates to Sander’s 1,539. But when the superdelegates are removed from the count, Clinton has 1,769 pledged delegates to Sander’s 1,497. To win the nomination, the Democratic candidate needs a total of 2,383 delegate votes.

This year it appears the superdelegates will decide who the nominee will be. Because of the early and overwhelming majority of superdelegates pledging to Clinton, the delegate count has been showing Clinton with a huge lead over Sanders, when in fact the primary outcomes indicate a much closer race.

Many of Sanders’ supporters tried to convince superdelegates to refrain from pledging to a candidate too early. They felt that by pledging early, superdelegates were skewing the media coverage and perception of success in favor of one candidate over another. The media was treating Clinton as the presumptive candidate and providing more coverage of her campaign than of Sander’s campaign.

With this year’s Democratic primaries, superdelegates are going to be the deciding force. While some might say superdelegates are imposing the party’s candidate on the people, others will say superdelegates are fulfilling their intended role: to avoid a contested convention and ensure the nominee is able to enter the general election with a clear mandate and the firm support of the party.

Sources:

Andrews, Wilson; Bennett, Kitty; and Parlapiano, Alicia. 2016 Delegate County and Primary Results. The New York Times. May 27, 2016.

Kamarck, Elaine. A History of ‘Super-Delegates’ in the Democratic Party. February 14, 2008.

Strauss, Daniel. Sanders Supporters Revolt Against Superdelegates. Politico. Febraury 14, 2016.

Lobbying

Illinois: “Rauner Board Asked Builders to Lobby Lawmakers” by The Associated Press for Crain’s Chicago Business

Nevada: “Council Votes to Delay Passing Lobbyist Registration Ordinance” by Anjeanette Damon for Reno Gazette-Journal

Oregon: “As Spending on Lobbying Increases, Transparency Remains Murky” by Hillary Borrud for East Oregonian

Campaign Finance

Kansas: “Amid Criticism, Kansas Launches New Campaign Finance Website” by Peter Hancock for Lawrence Journal World

Montana: “Judge Issues Stay Reinstating Campaign Contribution Limits from Political Parties” by Holly Michels for Helena Independent Record

Ethics

Rhode Island: “Ethics Commission Considers Election-Season Blackout” by Matt O’Brien (Associated Press) for WJAR

Elections

“Do Sanders Supporters Favor His Policies?” by Christopher Achen and Larry Bartels for New York Times

“Obama Can’t Endorse During the Democratic Primary, So He’s Just Pointing Out How Hard the Job Is Instead” by Christi Parsons and Michael Memoli for Los Angeles Times

“Trump Reaches the Magic Number to Clinch Nomination” by The Associated Press for Yahoo!News

Lobbying

California: “California Senate Votes to Ban Private Talks at Coastal Board” by Alexei Koseff for Sacramento Bee

Rhode Island: “R.I. House Unanimously Approves Lobbying Bill with Stricter Penalties” by Jennifer Bogdan for Providence Journal

Campaign Finance

New York: “Gov. Andrew Cuomo Offers Eight Options to End LLC Campaign Cash” by Casey Seiler for Albany Times-Union

Ethics

“These States Are Stepping Up to Reform Money in Politics in 2016” by Paul Blumenthal for Huffington Post

“State Dept. Inspector General Report Sharply Criticizes Clinton’s Email Practices” by Rosalind Helderman and Tom Hamburger for Washington Post

Florida: “Facing Bribery Charges, Opa-locka Commissioner Rams SUV into Tree, Killing Himself” by Charles Rabin, Jay Weaver, David Ovalle, and Michael Sallah for Miami Herald

Elections

“This Is What the Future of American Politics Looks Like” by Michael Lind for Politico

“As Donald Trump Pushes Conspiracy Theories, Right-Wing Media Gets Its Wish” by Jonathan Martin for New York Times

Ohio: “Ohio’s Limits on Early Voting Are Discriminatory, Judge Says” by Richard Pérez-Peña for New York Times

Lobbying

Missouri: “Impact of Missouri’s ‘Revolving Door’ Lobbyist Law Questioned” by Jason Hancock for Kansas City Star

Campaign Finance

“Despite Recommendations, FEC Won’t Pursue Charges that Murray Energy Coerced Campaign Donations from Employees” by Sabrina Eaton for Cleveland Plain Dealer

“NRA to Pay $15,000 for Breaking State Campaign-Finance Rules” by Joseph O’Sullivan for Seattle Times

Virginia: “Officials: Federal prosecutors investigating Virginia Gov. McAuliffe” by Matt Zapotosky for Washington Post

Ethics

“Facebook Says an Investigation Found No Evidence of Bias in a News App” by Mike Isaac for New York Times

“NFL Tried to Influence ‘Unrestricted’ Research Gift, Congressional Report Says” by Rick Maese for Washington Post

Massachusetts: “Legislature Poised to Pass Public Records Measure” by Joshua Miller for Boston Globe

Elections

“Getting a Photo ID So You Can Vote Is Easy. Unless You’re Poor, Black, Latino or Elderly.” by Sari Horwitz for Washington Post

“Democrats Are Gay, Republicans Are Rich: Our stereotypes of political parties are amazingly wrong” by John Sides for Washington Post

“Reeling from 2016 Chaos, G.O.P. Mulls Overhaul of Primaries” by Jeremy Peters for New York Times

Lobbying

Pennsylvania: “Pa. Officials, Lobbyists Split on How to Vet Business Propositions” by Brad Bumsted for Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Campaign Finance

“Key G.O.P. Donors Still Deeply Resist Donald Trump’s Candidacy” by Jonathan Martin and Alexander Burns for New York Times

Massachusetts: “New Bill Would Rein in State GOP’s Fund-Raising” by Frank Phillips for Boston Globe

Ethics

Alabama: “One-Time Rising Star Hubbard to Stand Trial on Ethics Charges” by Mike Cason for AL.com

Colorado: “Audit: Colorado ethics commission rarely helps those filing complaints” by Joey Bunch for Denver Post

Hawaii: “Hawaii Lawmakers Again Balk at Ethics, Lobbying Reform” by Nathan Eagle for Honolulu Civil Beat

Elections

“Why Democrats Are Set to Retake State Legislatures in 2016 (and It’s Not Just Trump)” by Amber Phillips for Washington Post

“Bernie Sanders Makes a Campaign Mark. Now, Can He Make a Legacy?” by Jonathan Mahler and Yamiche Alcindor for New York Times

Legislative Issues

Montana: “Term Limits Have Weakened Legislature, Some Observers Say” by Jayme Fraser for Helena Independent Record

Redistricting

Virginia: “Supreme Court Upholds Virginia Redistricting” by Richard Wolf for USA Today

Lobbying

Rhode Island: “Do R.I. General Assembly Grants Funnel Back into Lobbying?” by Patrick Anderson for Providence Journal

Campaign Finance

“G.O.P. Donors Shift Focus from Top of Ticket to Senate Races” by Nick Corasaniti and Ashley Parker for New York Times

California: “Tony Strickland Agrees to $40,000 Ethics Fine” by Taryn Luna for Sacramento Bee

New York: “De Blasio’s Elections Strategy, Under Scrutiny, Recalls Predecessor’s” by William Neuman for New York Times

Ethics

Arkansas: “Ark. High Court Rejects Lawsuit over Campaign Finance Ballot Measure” by Andrew DeMillo (Associated Press) for Baxter Bulletin

Hawaii: “Hawaii Ethics Commission Picks Interim Director” by Nathan Eagle for Honolulu Civil Beat

Hawaii: “Totto Tells Ethics Commission to Scrap ‘Silly’ Time Sheet Rules” by Nick Grube for Honolulu Civil Beat

Michigan: “Panel OKs Added Transparency for Governor, Legislators” by Jonathan Oosting for Detroit News

Elections

“A History of Insurgent Candidates’ Impact On Down-Ballot Races” by Louis Jacobson for Governing

Legislative Issues

“Chaos in House after GOP Votes Down LGBT Measure” by Cristina Marcos and Mike Lillis for The Hill

Baltimore City’s primary election results have been ordered to be decertified by state election officials, and a precinct-level review of irregularities is being conducted.

The decision comes in response to a discrepancy between the number of voters who checked in at polling locations and the number of ballots cast, which were higher than the number of check-ins. State elections officials became concerned when they learned Baltimore city officials certified their primary election results and later located 80 provisional ballots which were never analyzed.

The investigation into these discrepancies is expected to continue throughout next week.

Campaign Finance

“Trump, RNC Announce Joint Fundraising Deal” by Eric Bradner and Sara Murray for CNN

Florida: “County Commissioners Endorse Campaign Reform. After Grumbling.” by Douglas Hanks for Miami Herald

Montana: “US Judge Strikes Down Montana Campaign Contribution Limits” by Holly Michels for Helena Independent Record

Ethics

California: “7 Former Top Officials of Beaumont Charged with Corruption” by Veronica Rocha and Joseph Serna for Los Angeles Times

Delaware: “Del. Bill Tightens Disclosure Requirements for Paid Lobbyists, Political Donors” by Mark Fowser for WXDE

Missouri: “For Some, Missouri Lawmakers’ Ethics Push Still Has a Long Way to Go” by Jason Rosenbaum for St. Louis Public Radio

Elections

“Bernie Sanders Facing Pressure Over Supporters’ Actions in Nevada” by Yamiche Alcindor for New York Times

“The Mind of Donald Trump” by Dan McAdams for The Atlantic

“Third-Party Candidates Face Uphill Climb to Get Place on Presidential Debate Stage” by Jonathan Easley and Ben Kamisar for The Hill

Campaign Finance

“Death Threats Directed at Elections Regulator” by Dave Levinthal for Center for Public Integrity

Arizona: “Effort Launches to Block Laws Loosening Rules for ‘Dark Money’” by Howard Fischer (Capitol Media Services) for Arizona Capitol Times

Ethics

Arizona: “Judge Sentences Former Phoenix VA Director Sharon Helman to Probation” by Dennis Wagner for Arizona Republic

Arizona: “Inspired by Trump, New Arizona Law Redefines Free Speech” by Ben Rosen for U.S. News & World Report

Pennsylvania: “The Ones That Got Away: How 305 criminal charges against Steve Reed were dismissed” by Wallace McKelvey for Harrisburg Patriot-News

South Carolina: “Common Cause Leader John Crangle Retiring as His Book on Operation Lost Trust Is Published” by Andrew Shain for Charleston Post & Courier

Elections

“‘Who Is This Guy?’ In Connected Political World, Few Know Donald Trump” by Carl Hulse for New York Times

“Little Is Off Limits as Donald Trump Plans Attacks on Hillary Clinton’s Character” by Patrick Healy for New York Times

“Bernie Sanders Wins Oregon; Hillary Clinton Declares Victory in Kentucky” by Thomas Kaplan for New York Times

Lobbying

California: “The Coastal Commission Hopes to Restore Public Trust with Its Latest Decision” by Dan Weikel for Los Angeles Times

California: “Brown Vetoes Bill Requiring Advocates for State Contracts to Register” by Jeremy White for Sacramento Bee

Rhode Island: “Paiva Weed Hoping for Lobbyist Reform This Session” by Katherine Gregg for Providence Journal

“Lobbyists: Lawmakers turn up pressure to quiet HB2 opponents” by Laura Leslie for WRAL

Ethics

“Gov. Brownback Signs Bill Opening Officials’ Private E-mails on Public Business” by Bryan Lowry for Wichita Eagle

Ohio: “Columbus Mayor Ginther Addresses Ethics Concerns in First Executive Order” by Sam Hendren for WOSU

Rhode Island: “Was a Providence Councilman Stealing from the City’s Kids?” by Amanda Milkovitz for Providence Journal

Virginia: “Bristol Virginia Utilities Shows Culture of Corruption, Entitlement and Greed” by Dan Casey for Roanoke Times

Elections

“Trump’s Candidacy Sparking ‘a Surge’ in Citizenship, Voter Applications” by Ed O’Keefe for Washington Post

Legislative Issues

“Does Size Matter? The Latest Battle Over State Supreme Courts” by Alan Greenblatt for Governing

Elections Division Administrator Michael Haas has been selected to serve as the Administrator of the new Wisconsin Elections Commission. His 4-year term begins on Thursday, June 30. Haas currently supervises and has a strong working relationship with the staff who will transfer from Government Accountability Board to the Elections Commission. His appointment is subject to Senate confirmation in 2017.

National:

Conservatives Accuse Facebook of Political Bias
New York Times – John Hermann and Mike Isaac | Published: 5/9/2016

Facebook denied allegations from former workers who said the social media site suppressed news about conservative issues on its popular “trending” news feature. The website Gizmodo published a report that included allegations from unnamed former Facebook “news curators” who said employees prevented stories about the Conservative Political Action Conference, as well as stories about Mitt Romney, Rand Paul, and other conservative issues from appearing in the section, “even though they were organically trending among the site’s users.” The back-and-forth highlights the extent to which Facebook has now muscled its way into America’s political conversation, and the risks the company faces as it becomes a central force in news production and consumption.

Lobbying Groups Descend on Battleground States
The Hill – Megan Wilson | Published: 5/11/2016

With few chances left for face-to-face advocacy in Washington, D.C. as federal lawmakers campaign for re-election, lobbyists are turning to their election-year playbook, which includes heavy spending on targeted advertising in battleground states. Those efforts are more important than ever before, lobbyists say, due to the unpredictability of a presidential race featuring presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump. “[State-level advocacy is] a time-honored tradition, and this is the usual time, but there is still so much uncertainty,” said Bruce Haynes, a founding partner at Purple Strategies. “You may need more allies than you’ve ever had when you just don’t know which way the wind is going to blow.”

Women’s Rising Influence in Politics, Tinted Green
New York Times – Nicholas Confessore | Published: 5/7/2016

Female campaign donors in both parties have described cultural and economic changes that were driving their increased participation in political giving, long among the most exclusive men’s clubs in American culture. More women are founding their own companies or rising to lead family businesses, or have already sold or retired from them, a common springboard to the upper reaches of campaign fundraising. Within marriages, they said, women now had more authority to steer family decisions about political contributions. The increase is especially pronounced on the left, with the presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton galvanizing female donors.

Federal:

Hillary Clinton, the First ‘E.T. Candidate,’ Has U.F.O. Fans in Thrall
New York Times – Amy Chozick | Published: 5/10/2016

Known for her grasp of policy details, Hillary Clinton has spoken at length in her presidential campaign on topics ranging from Alzheimer’s research to military tensions in the South China Sea. But it is her unusual knowledge about extraterrestrials that has struck a small but committed cohort of voters. Clinton has vowed that barring any threats to national security, she would open up government files on the subject, a shift from President Obama, who typically dismisses the topic as a joke. Her position has elated UFO enthusiasts, who have declared Clinton the first “E.T. candidate.”

Lobbyists Struggle with Trump Reality
The Hill – Megan Wilson | Published: 5/6/2016

Republican lobbyists in Washington, D.C. are struggling to come to grips with the possibility of a Donald Trump presidency. Much of the GOP crowd on K Street – lobbyists, consultants, and public relations operatives – built their careers working for so-called establishment politicians. Some who spoke with The Hill mentioned that many lobbyists uneasy about whether to support Trump will just shift back to what they know: Congress. Deciding not to participate in the White House race could free up extra resources to ensure Republicans stay in control of the House and Senate, as the party is set to have to defend a large number of seats in the upper chamber. “K Street is worried about the dominos falling below the presidential race,” said Tom Korologos, a strategic advisor for DLA Piper.

From the States and Municipalities:

Alabama – Chief Justice’s Suspension Adds to Alabama’s Political Mess
Santa Cruz Sentinel – Jay Reeves (Associated Press) | Published: 5/7/2016

Three top elected officials in Alabama are embroiled in scandal or facing removal from office while a former governor serves time in federal prison on a corruption conviction. State Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore was suspended from his job and faces possible ouster over his attempts to block gay marriage following the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that effectively legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. Fellow Republicans tried to remove Gov. Robert Bentley by impeachment over a sexually charged scandal involving a top political aide, and an investigation continues. House Speaker Mike Hubbard awaits a state trial on 23 felony ethics counts. If convicted, Hubbard could join imprisoned former Gov. Don Siegelman, who was convicted on federal influence-peddling charges.

Arizona – Legislature Approves Bills Amending Campaign Finance Laws
ABC15; Associated Press –   | Published: 5/7/2016

The Arizona Legislature adopted a measure to reinsert criminal penalties that were left out of a sweeping campaign finance bill that was signed by the governor. Among the changes are provisions that make it illegal for individuals to contribute in the name of another person and prevent candidates from donating to one another. House Bill 2297 now moves to the governor’s desk beside a second measure that borrowed language from the same campaign finance rewrite to relax rules on anonymous political spending ahead of the August primary election. The amendment on House Bill 2296 cedes regulation of “dark money” and other nonprofit groups to the IRS, essentially doubling the amount these groups can spend on ballot measures.

California – California Senate Suspends Lobbyist Fundraising Restrictions
Monterey County Herald – Jonathan Cooper (Associated Press) | Published: 5/12/2016

The California Senate voted to remove a fundraising blackout period instituted in the wake of a corruption scandal two years ago. The Senate reversed the ban on members raising money from lobbyist employers during final budget negotiations and the last month of session, a time when lawmakers are typically voting on hundreds of bills. Because the restrictions were only in the Senate’s internal rules, not state law, they are not subject to approval by the Assembly or the governor and take effect immediately.

Kentucky – Kentucky’s Two Most Recent Governors Are Feuding, and It’s Ugly and Very Public, Too
U.S. News & World Report – Adam Beam (Associated Press) | Published: 5/10/2016

While peaceful transitions of power are a longstanding U.S. tradition, the handoff in Kentucky from Steve Beshear to Matt Bevin has been ugly. The spat has intensified so much that Beshear has taken the extraordinary step of starting a nonprofit group that is paying for ads critical of Bevin and his policies. Bevin, in turn, has launched an investigation of the Beshear administration, using a state law granting him subpoena power and public money to hire a private law firm to determine if the ex-governor violated state ethics and procurement laws.

Missouri – Missouri House and Senate Can’t Agree on Banning Lobbyist Gifts
Kansas City Star – Jason Hancock | Published: 5/12/2016

A compromise that would ban gifts to Missouri lawmakers except for lobbyist-funded meals – which would be capped at $40 a day, per lobbyist – got bogged down in the state Senate. But even though the 2016 legislative session ends May 13 at six p.m., the House is not ready to give up the fight. Republicans in that chamber plan to attach a lobbyist gift ban as an amendment to numerous Senate bills in an effort to force senators to deal with the issue.

New York – Dean Skelos Is Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison in Corruption Case
New York Times – Benjamin Weiser and Vivian Yee | Published: 5/12/2016

Former New York Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos was sentenced to five years in prison, making him the second former state lawmaker in recent days to be given time behind bars for public corruption. The judge also sentenced his son, Adam Skelos, to six-and-one-half years in prison following their convictions on charges of extortion, fraud, and bribe solicitation. Prosecutors said Dean Skelos used his public position to obtain jobs and payments for his son with companies that had business before the state. Former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver was sentenced to 12 years in prison in a separate corruption case. The sentences conclude an extraordinary chapter during which two trials held a block apart at almost the same time exposed a culture of kickbacks and secret deals in Albany.

Pennsylvania – Behind the Scenes of an Intricate FBI Sting
Philadelphia Inquirer – Mark Fazlollah, Craig McCoy, and Angeles Couloumbis | Published: 5/7/2016

Records and interviews suggest the FBI sting that ensnared lobbyist John Estey could become the most complex and far-reaching corruption investigation in Harrisburg in a decade. Along with Estey, the probe already trapped former state Treasurer Rob McCord, who has agreed to cooperate in return for leniency and secretly recorded his conversations, according to sources. Federal prosecutors have declined to discuss details of an investigation they only broadly describe as focused on “lobbying in the Pennsylvania General Assembly.”

South Carolina – State Lawmaker Lived at Contributor’s Half-Million-Dollar Property, Ducks Questions
Charleston Post & Courier – David Slade | Published: 5/7/2016

South Carolina Rep. Brian White and his wife sold their modest ranch home for $150,000 and moved to a nearly 3,900-square-foot house more than seven acres with a pool. The $500,000 property was owned by Bradley and Brian Moorhouse, brothers who are both nursing home administrators for National Healthcare Corp., White’s largest corporate source of campaign donations. The White family lived there as tenants for at least five years, paying an undisclosed amount of rent while Brian White collected campaign donations from his landlords and executives with their company. During that time, White chaired a House subcommittee overseeing the state’s health care spending and policies, including those affecting the nursing home industry.

Washington – ‘End Yourselves’: Councilwomen threatened after voting against Seattle’s NBA arena
Washington Post – Stephanie Kuzydym | Published: 5/11/2016

The five female members of the Seattle City Council who provided the votes to defeat a plan to build a new arena to lure a team from the National Basketball Association have received ugly hate mail and threats from disappointed sports fans. Councilperson Lorena González said her personal and private social-media accounts and email were flooded with vitriolic messages. “What was concerning to me about this is I never came into this position with the expectation that I’d be told to kill myself or that I deserve sexual violence,” González said.

Wisconsin – Kevin Kennedy Stepping Down as Head of Embattled Elections, Ethics Board
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – Patrick Marley | Published: 5/10/2016

Wisconsin’s longtime chief elections official, Kevin Kennedy, is retiring on June 29. That is the day before the Government Accountability Board (GAB) he heads is scheduled to be dissolved and reconstituted as two separate commissions. Lawmakers created the GAB in response to a scandal in which lawmakers were convicted of campaigning using state resources. But Republicans came to despise the board, in large part because it participated in an investigation that looked into whether Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign collaborated with conservative groups. Lawmakers last year voted to disband the GAB.

State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 60 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.

Lobbying

“Lobbying Groups Descend on Battleground States” by Megan Wilson for The Hill

Arizona: “Lobbying Complaint Filed against Former Arizona Lawmaker” by Staff for Arizona Business Daily

New York: “Court Is Asked to Compel de Blasio Nonprofit to Heed Subpoena” by J. David Goodman for New York Times

Campaign Finance

New York: “LLC Loophole Bill Moves to Senate Codes as Backers Push for Floor Vote” by Matthew Hamilton for Albany Times Union

Texas: “Nifty or Shifty: A campaign finance quiz” by Lauren Flannery for Texas Tribune

Ethics

Pennsylvania: “U.S. Charges State Sen. Farnese with Bribery” by Chris Brennan and Jeremy Roebuck for Philadelphia Inquirer

Rhode Island: “Mattiello, Paiva Weed Back R.I. Ethics Bill” by Katherine Gregg for Providence Journal

Elections

“Trump vs. the Disappearing Tie” by Vanessa Friedman for New York Times

“How Many People Support Trump but Don’t Want to Admit It?” by Thomas Edsall for New York Times

Campaign Finance

“Donald Trump, in Switch, Turns to Republican Party for Fund-Raising Help” by Maggie Haberman, Ashley Parker, and Nick Corasaniti for New York Times

California: “Company Donates Free Billboards to Englander as L.A. Weighs New Sign Regulations” by David Zahniser for Los Angeles Times

California: “‘I Have, in Fact, Done the Crime’: Rep. Ami Bera’s father admits illegal campaign contributions” by John Myers for Los Angeles Times

Pennsylvania: “Allentown Engineer’s Plea in FBI Probe Revealed” by Emily Opilo and Peter Hall for Morning Call

Ethics

“Conservatives Accuse Facebook of Political Bias” by John Herrman and Mike Isaac for New York Times

“Senior Gray Advisor Sentenced to Six Months for 2010 Mayoral ‘Shadow’ Campaign” by Spencer Hsu and Ann Marimow for Washington Post

Kentucky: “Kentucky’s Two Most Recent Governors Are Feuding, and It’s Ugly and Very Public, Too” by Adam Beam (Associated Press) for U.S. News & World Report

Wisconsin: “Kevin Kennedy Stepping Down as Head of Embattled Elections, Ethics Board” by Patrick Marley for Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Elections

“Our Fictional Pundit Predicted More Correct Primary Results Than Nate Silver Did” by Virgil Texas for Washington Post

“Hillary Clinton Gives U.F.O. Buffs Hope She Will Open the X-Files” by Amy Chozick for New York Times

“Sanders, Trump Easily Win West Virginia Primary; Trump Picks Up Nebraska Too” by Abby Phillip, John Wagner, and Anne Gearan for Washington Post