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:
* Assuming he can overcome a primary fight, Rep. Ted Strickland (D) looks well positioned at this point for Ohio’s gubernatorial election in November. According to a new Rasmussen poll, Strickland leads Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell 44% to 40%, State Attorney General Jim Petro 43% to 38%; and State Auditor Betty Montgomery 49% to 33%.
* The Sherrod Brown-Paul Hackett primary doesn’t seem to be helping Dems’ chances in Ohio’s upcoming Senate race. The latest Rasmussen poll shows incumbent Sen. Mike DeWine (R) leading Hackett 43% to 39%, and Brown 45% to 40%.
* Speaking of Dem primaries, Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi (D) said yesterday that he’ll announce within “a week or so” whether to take on state Attorney General Eliot Spitzer in a Democratic gubernatorial primary.
* In Georgia, Gov. Sonny Perdue (R) looks very strong in advance of November’s gubernatorial race and enjoys comfortable leads over his most likely Dem challengers. Purdue is ahead of Georgia Secretary of State Cathy Cox (D) 53% to 37%, and leads Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor (D) 56% to 31%.
* Vermont Rep. Bernie Sanders (I) continues to dominate in the race to succeed retiring Sen. Jim Jeffords (I). According to a new Rasmussen poll, Sanders leads his most likely Republican challenger, businessman Richard Tarrant (R), 70% to 25%.
* Scott McClellan, in a very rare break with his boss, has endorsed Carole Keeton Strayhorn in Texas’ gubernatorial campaign, in large part because she’s his mother. “My mother cares deeply about Texas, and she has my full support,” McClellan said last week.