NPR

Devin Nunes' Re-Election Tests Whether All Politics Are Now National

Rep. Devin Nunes easily won his last reelection. Now the chair of the House Intelligence Committee is in for the tightest race of his political life, thanks to his views on the Russia investigations.
Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., leaves a meeting on Capitol Hill in January. The House Intelligence Committee chairman is locked in a fierce re-election battle.

In 2016, Rep. Devin Nunes coasted to re-election by a double-digit margin. Now the eight-term Republican is in for the tightest race of his political life — all thanks to his views on the Russia investigations.

As chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, he's made himself a national figure for his staunch defense of President Trump and criticism of special counsel Robert Mueller, who's leading the investigation.

But Nunes' national profile is a double-edged sword: He's raised a tremendous amount of money, but it's also put a spotlight on him that he's never contended with before.

Polls taken in the last few months suggest Nunes could be

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