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:
* Florida’s Republican leadership will meet in Orlando in about an hour to pick a replacement candidate for former Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.), but whomever they choose has to hope voters in Florida’s 16th district really want a Republican representative. Foley’s name will appear on the November ballot and voters will choose between Foley and Tim Mahoney, Foley’s Democratic opponent. Republicans have to hope that voters in this relatively competitive district vote for Foley anyway, with the understanding that his Republican replacement will actually take office in January. Few seriously believe this will happen.
* In Tennessee, Republican Senate candidate Bob Corker, who has lost a once-large lead over Rep. Harold Ford (D), has replaced his campaign manager with just 37 days until the election. Former campaign manager Ben Mitchell is still technically with the campaign, but Tom Ingram, Sen. Lamar Alexander’s Chief of Staff, will be running the show from now on. As a rule, drastic change-ups so close to the election usually indicate trouble within a campaign.
* In Virginia’s closely-watched Senate race, Jim Webb’s fundraising troubles have been a major concern for months. It appears, however, that Webb has turned things around in this area as well: the Democrat will apparently report having raised more than $3 million during the past three months.
* In Massachusetts, a new Boston Globe poll shows Deval Patrick (D) with an enormous lead over Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey (R) in the state’s gubernatorial contest, 55% to 30%.
* A whole slew of polls were released by Mason-Dixon over the last 24 hours, and most of them suggest Dems are poised to have a very good year:
* In Maryland, Ben Cardin (D) leads Michael Steele (R), 47% to 41%
* In Missouri, Jim Talent (R) is tied with Claire McCaskill (D), 43% to 43%
* In Montana, Jon Tester (D) leads Conrad Burns (R), 47% to 40%
* In New Jersey, Bob Menendez (D) leads Tom Kean Jr (R), 44% to 41%
* In Ohio, Sherrod Brown (D) leads Mike DeWine (R), 45% to 43%
* In Pennsylvania, Bob Casey (D) leads Rick Santorum (R), 49% to 40%
* In Rhode Island, Sheldon Whitehouse (D) leads Lincoln Chafee (R), 42% to 41%
* In Tennessee, Rep. Harold Ford, Jr. (D) leads Bob Corker (R), 43% to 42%
* In Washington, Maria Cantwell (D) leads Mike McGavick (R), 50% to 40%.
Dems need a net gain of six to win back the Senate. If all of these races go the Dems’ way (including Missouri, which is now tied), that’s a net gain of six.