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:
* For about an hour yesterday, it appeared that New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D) was an admitted presidential candidate. Fox News reported that the governor had told an FNC reporter that he is running. Shortly thereafter, Richardson aides issued a statement claiming that Fox News had taken his comments out of context, and that the governor was responding to a hypothetical question. Richardson, speaking at Georgetown University yesterday, said, “I’ve got to make a decision in January.”
* Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-N.C.) announced yesterday that she will seek re-election in 2008. As Markos noted, “Hopefully Liddy Dole runs her campaign the way she ran the RSCC.” Expect the DSCC to target this race.
* Speaking of vulnerable Southern Republicans seeking second terms, Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher (R) is struggling to shore up high-profile GOP support for his re-election bid. Late last week, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R) said he is not yet prepared to formally endorse Fletcher, and yesterday, Sen. Jim Bunning (R) said he would wait to see if Reps. Anne Northup (R) or Hal Rogers (R) challenge Fletcher in a GOP primary.
* John Edwards will reportedly announce his presidential candidacy “around the beginning of the year.”
* The very first Democratic presidential primary debate last cycle came the first week of May 2003, before the field of candidates was even complete. Next year may come just a bit sooner — South Carolina Democratic Party chairman Joe Erwin is making plans to hold a debate in connection with the party’s Jefferson-Jackson dinner on April 27, 2007.
* As for the presidential polls, which still don’t mean much, a new Marist College poll shows Hillary Clinton leading the Dem field with 33% support, followed by Al Gore with 13%, and Barack Obama with 12%. On the GOP side, Rudy Giuliani is first with 24%, while John McCain is second with 23%.