I was tempted to scrap today’s edition in light of the ongoing calamities, but I had a few items to pass along. I know they hardly seem important today, but here’s 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 anyway:
* A Field Poll released today shows California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s popularity sinking even further. Now, just 36% of Californian’s approve of Schwarzenegger’s performance as governor, compared to 52% disapproval. That’s down slightly from the polling outfit’s last survey in June.
* A Siena Research Institute poll out today shows Hillary Clinton with big leads over her most likely Republican rivals. The poll showed Clinton leading Westchester County District Attorney Jeanine Pirro (R) 55% to 34%, while Clinton is ahead of lawyer Ed Cox (R) 54% to 31%.
* In New York’s gubernatorial race, the Siena Research Institute poll shows Attorney General Eliot Spitzer (D) doing even better than Hillary. Spitzer leads former Massachusetts Governor William Weld (R) 56% to 19%; upstate billionaire Tom Golisano 52% to 28%; and Secretary of State Randy Daniels (R), 58% to 15%.
* Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) will reportedly announce next week that he will run for a ninth term in 2006. “He has every intention to seek re-election,” Byrd spokesman Tom Gavin confirmed Thursday. “But I’m going to let the senator make his own announcement.”
* In case there was any doubt that the 2008 presidential race is already underway, consider the list of people heading to New Hampshire. Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) was there last week. So was Sen. John F. Kerry (D- Mass.). Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack (D) is expected next week. Massachusetts’ Mitt Romney (R)? A little later this month. In all, more than a dozen lawmakers believed to be considering bids have been to the Granite State since last November. Among the Democrats, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson was there in June. So was retired Gen. Wesley K. Clark. Sen. Evan Bayh (Ind.) has been up. So has John Edwards — three times, in fact. Sen. Russell Feingold (Wis.) is slated to make his first trip later this month. Republicans have been just as busy. Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) visited in December. Since then, colleagues Chuck Hagel (Neb.), George Allen (Va.) and Sam Brownback (Kan.) have stopped by. Same goes for Rep. Tom Tancredo (Colo.) and former House speaker Newt Gingrich (Ga.). Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (Tenn.) has been to the state three times.