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 New Mexico’s closely-watched 1st congressional district, Rep. Heather Wilson (R-N.M.) appears to have eked out a narrow victory over state Attorney General Patricia Madrid (D) in one of the remaining undecided House races. According to the final tally, Wilson edged Madrid by about 900 votes.
* In Montana, state Sen. Sam Kitzenberg filed papers with the secretary of state’s office late last week to become a Democrat, and in the process, swung the chamber from a 25-25 split to a 26-24 Dem majority. Kitzenberg, a former high school teacher who describes himself as a moderate, has been a Republican his entire adult life, including 12 years in the legislature, but no more. “It’s kind of like a family, it’s kind of hard to leave,” Kitzenberg said. “But I didn’t leave them — they left me.”
* Hoping to dispel rumors to the contrary, Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), he of “bridge to nowhere” fame, announced late last week that he will run for re-election in 2008, at the tender age of 84.
* Dems looking for a top-tier candidate to take on Sen. John Sununu (R) in New Hampshire in 2008 can scratch Gov. John Lynch (D) off their short list. Lynch, who was re-elected to a second term two weeks ago with 74% support, said he will not take on Sununu in two years.
* In 2008 news, Sen. John Kerry said yesterday that he’s still considering another presidential campaign. Asked if the “botched joke” would undermine him, Kerry said, “Not in the least. I am looking at it in the same way. The people that I have talked to across the country, my team’s confident and strong. I don’t know what I’ll do. I’ve apologized and we have to move on to the real issues that face this country.”
* And in the funniest political story I’ve seen in a long while, Fairfield University professor John Orman contacted Connecticut’s secretary of state’s office and learned that the Connecticut for Lieberman party had no registered members in the state. As a result, Orman joined the “party” and went home to call a meeting of all registered Connecticut for Lieberman members (total number: one). He nominated himself chairman, seconded the nomination, cast his vote for himself and proceeded to establish party rules. Read the whole thing.