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:
* A new Field Poll in California shows that only 37% of California’s likely voters are inclined to re-elect Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in November, though his Dem rivals are not well known statewide. In a hypothetical match-up against State Treasurer Phil Angelides, the race is tied at 39%. Schwarzenegger, however, trails state Controller Steve Westly by four points.
* Following up on an item from earlier this week, former Iowa Economic Development Director Mike Blouin (D) said he’d name physician Andrea McGuire as his running mate, if he secures the Dem gubernatorial nomination. Since then, several political observers have raised questions about McGuire, including the fact that she was a reliable Republican donor in the 1990s, voted in a GOP primary as recently as 2004, and only became a registered Dem last year.
* In New York, Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi’s (D) gubernatorial campaign is complicating matters for the state party. This weekend, the New York Democratic Rural Conference convention will meet in Ithaca, but Suozzi has been told that he will not be allowed to deliver his speech to the convention delegates unless one of them formally nominates him and another delegate seconds the nomination.
* Christy Mihos, a Republican who made millions through his family’s convenience store chain, is scheduled to announce tomorrow that he will enter this fall’s Massachusetts gubernatorial race as an independent. Mihos’ campaign manager described him as “economically conservative and socially liberal.”
* Sid Smith, a former newspaperman and real estate agent, is running for Congress — despite being 95 years old. “I’m the oldest guy in this race,” said Smith, joking that his Dec. 24 birthday makes him “one day older than Jesus.” His main goal is to boot from office Republican freshman Michael McCaul, who won Texas’ 10th District seat two years ago thanks to Tom DeLay’s re-redistricting scheme. Smith, who is in a Dem primary, is making his first run for public office.
* To help boost public confidence that politics is not completely void of human decency, it’s worth noting that Maryland State Sen. John Giannetti (D) saw Jim Rosapepe (D) choking in an Italian restaurant in Annapolis, and saved his life — despite the fact that Rosapepe plans to challenge Giannetti in a primary later this year.
* And in 2008 news, Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) was the keynote speaker Tuesday night at the Grafton County Republicans’ annual Lincoln Day dinner in New Hampshire, as part of his effort to “test the waters.” On a related note, Virginia Sen. George Allen (R) will make his first visit to Iowa as a presidential aspirant on March 17.