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:
* A new Rasmussen poll out this morning in Pennsylvania shows the sizable gap between Rick Santorum and Bob Casey staying pretty much the same. The latest numbers show Casey up by 16 points, 52% to 36%. Only 38% of likely voters now view Santorum favorably. Casey’s big lead is due in part to 48% support from self-described independents — more than double that of Santorum.
* Though some GOP leaders have considered Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) a vulnerable incumbent, the polls show otherwise. The latest numbers out of Michigan show Stabenow with 20-point leads over Michael Bouchard (54% to 33%), Keith Butler (53% to 32%), and Jerry Zandstra (53% to 33%).
* The back-and-forth in Missouri’s Senate campaign swung back in the direction of the incumbent last week. A Rasmussen poll in January showed Missouri State Auditor Claire McCaskill (D) surging ahead against Sen. Jim Talent (R), but the more recent poll shows Talent coming back, now up 46% to 41%. Of course, with a well-known incumbent stuck in the mid-40s, the race remains one of the most competitive in the nation for 2006.
* In California, this year’s gubernatorial race remains very close, no matter who the Dems nominate. The latest Rasmussen poll shows Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) narrowly trailing State Treasurer Phil Angelides (D), 41% to 40%. Schwarzenegger fares better against State Comptroller Steve Westly (D), leading 39% to 34%. Of course, any incumbent governor with support at 40% or lower has to be considered in deep trouble.
* And in Ohio, a week after dropping out of the state’ Senate race, Iraq veteran Paul Hackett has joined the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America Political Action Committee, as a member of the group’s Board of Advisors. Hackett joins retired General Wesley Clark, former President of the Council on Foreign Relations Leslie H. Gelb, best-selling author and Iraq and Afghanistan combat Veteran Nathaniel Fick and Iraq Veteran Paul Rieckhoff on the IAVA PAC Board.