Alabama: Moore, Strange neck-and-neck. In the upcoming August 15 Republican Primary for the special election for US Senator, a Montgomery Advertiser poll shows former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore leading with 31% to 29% for incumbent-by-appointment Luther Strange. In third place with 18% was US Rep. Mo Brooks. There are six other candidates in the race. If no one gets a majority, there will be a runoff on September 26 between the top two ……. Virginia: Comstock draws primary foe. US Rep. Barbara Comstock (R), who will be running for a third term in 2018, has – so far – eight announced Democratic opponents and now has a challenger in the GOP primary. Former combat pilot and inspirational speaker Shak Hill, 52, has hired the campaign manager of staunch conservative Corey Stewart, who ran a surprisingly close second to Ed Gillespie in the recent gubernatorial primary. Comstock is favored in the primary, not so much in the General Election ……. Texas: White dead at 77. Mark White, governor of Texas from 1983 through 1987 and the last Democrat to lead his party’s ticket to a top-to-bottom victory in statewide races, died last week. He was best known for his educational reforms, including a “no-pass, no-play” rule that required students to pass their courses in order to engage in extracurricular activities. White was praised by former governors and political leaders of both parties …….