An attorney who defended Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in his impeachment trial has endorsed Paxton's Democratic opponent in the U.S. Senate race.

Until you know what’s in the article, how could you know it’s defamation?” said J. Evans Bailey, general counsel for the Alabama Press Association. “It’s very unusual.”

Sign up here to receive “The US in brief” as a newsletter, each weekday, in your inbox. The Senate passed a $70bn bill funding Donald Trump’s immigration-enforcement crackdo

Kurt Alme, a former U.S. attorney, became the de facto Republican nominee for Senate in Montana when Senator Steve Daines dropped his candidacy minutes before the filing deadline and engineered a switcheroo for Mr. Alme, who was endorsed by President Trump in the process.

Voters in Maine will head to the polls Tuesday in high profile primary races that could help determine control of Congress. The races have garnered national attention due to controversies surrounding candidates and for outcomes that are expected to be fiercely competitive.

Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson will face off against Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek in Iowa's open U.S. Senate race in November.

Source: Election results and race calls are from The Associated Press. County type designations are based on a New York Times analysis of data from the Census, the National Center

We have a responsibility to our voters to promote the candidates who have the most chance for success,” party Chair Deann Mitchell said.