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 case there was any doubt that Rep. Katherine Harris’ (R) Senate campaign in Florida is in big trouble, the latest Quinnipiac poll should clear things up. Earlier this week, a Republican polling firm showed Sen. Bill Nelson (D) with a 15-point lead. Today, Quinnipiac shows it’s even worse for Harris — Nelson now leads by 22 points, 53% to 31%.
* Massachusetts Port Authority Director Peter Blute (R) was the GOP’s last hope to run against Sen. Ted Kennedy (D) this year, but Blute announced yesterday that he would skip the race. It now appears that Kennedy will not face an opponent for the first time in his 43-year Senate career.
* Rep. John Doolittle (R-Calif.) is up to his ears in the Abramoff scandal, prompting some to wonder if the eight-term House member may skip a re-election campaign this year and prepare for an indictment. Doolittle put an end to the speculation yesterday, announcing he will run for another term in November. Two Dems, Charlie Brown and Lisa Rea, will face off in a primary to take Doolittle on.
* Worried about slipping GOP support for the first time in his career, Tom DeLay brought 10 Republican members of the Texas congressional delegation to his district yesterday to announce their collective endorsement. Of course, many of them owe their jobs to the re-redistricting scheme DeLay launched a couple of years ago, which subsequently led to the legal headaches that have put DeLay’s career in jeopardy.
* Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) was rumored to be angry with New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer (D) when he tapped David Paterson as his running mate over Leecia Eve, but just to show there are no hard feelings, Rangel will endorse Spitzer at an event today.