Today’s installment of campaign-related news items that wouldn’t generate a post of their own, but may be of interest to political observers:
* In an announcement that should surprise no one, Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) said he will not seek a second term. Romney, whose term ends in January 2007, vowed to serve his full four years, but will now shift his attention to his presidential ambitions.
* With Romney out of the 2006 picture, Republicans are rallying behind Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey, whom Romney said he would endorse. A potential wildcard, however, is former Massachusetts Turnpike Authority board member Christy Mihos, a convenience store magnate who is well known after high-profile fights over toll increases and the Big Dig’s management consultant. Mihos plans to run for governor next year, but has not yet decided whether to run as a Republican on independent.
* Rep. Marcy Kaptur, Ohio’s top-ranking Democrat in the U.S. House, may seriously shake up the state’s gubernatorial race. For the last several weeks, it appeared that Rep. Ted Strickland would likely face no serious primary challenger and win the Dems’ gubernatorial nomination easily. Now, however, Kaptur has said she’s considering the race and has received some encouragement from Ohio union groups.
* There are some terrific people behind the “Dump Mike” campaign in New Jersey, hoping to defeat incumbent Republican Mike Ferguson in the state’s 7th Congressional District, and it appears local Dems are hoping to capitalize on their success and replace Ferguson in the House. Hillsborough Mayor Joe Tricarico (D) has been running for a while, and yesterday, Assemblywoman Linda Stender (D) announced that she, too, will run.
* In Texas, State Rep. Richard Raymond (D) announced yesterday that he will no longer challenge U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar (D) in next year’s primary, choosing instead to run for re-election. Cuellar will, however, still go up against ex-Rep. Ciro Rodriguez (D) in a 2004 rematch of a bitter primary contest.