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:
* Bowing to party pressure, and realizing he had little chance of winning, former Sen. Rod Grams (R-Minn.) dropped out of the race to reclaim his old seat yesterday. GOP leaders have already rallied behind Rep. Mark Kennedy in the race, leading Grams to announce, “I felt this was the time we should be united.”
* New York Republicans, worried about who might be able to beat Attorney General Eliot Spitzer (D) in next year’s gubernatorial race, is turning to a (ahem) carpetbagger: former Massachusetts Gov. William Weld. Reports surfaced over the weekend that Weld has discussed the race with state party officials. He’s apparently open to the idea, though he has little interest in the race against Hillary Clinton.
* Though Missouri Sen. Jim Talent (R) is not usually mentioned as a vulnerable incumbent, a new poll suggests a top-tier candidate could pose a serious problem for the one-term conservative senator. A DSCC survey showed state Auditor Claire McCaskill, who narrowly lost a bid for governor in 2004, tied with Talent in a hypothetical match-up among state voters, both garnering 43%. McCaskill has not committed to the race, but party leaders hope the encouraging poll numbers might help persuade her. If not, Dems are eyeing state Attorney General Jay Nixon and Secretary of State Robin Carnahan as possible challengers.
* Karl Rove continues to chat with Rep. Katherine Harris (R-Fla.) about her political future, including an office visit last week. Harris apparently still isn’t going for Bush’s Social Security scheme and has not yet decided about next year’s Senate race. (Speculation has gone both ways about whether Rove and the White House want Harris to run or believe the GOP would be better off if she stuck to the House.)
* Former Idaho Falls Post Register publisher Jerry Brady, who had a respectable showing in a 2002 gubernatorial race, has decided to try again next year. With incumbent Gov. Dirk Kempthorne (R) unable to run due to term-limits, Brady hopes to fare better in an open race in which he’ll have better name recognition.
* Bill Clinton is trying to help generate support for one of his favorite candidates — British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Clinton campaigned for Blair yesterday, speaking life via a video feed to a Labor Party rally in London. Clinton remains a popular figure in the U.K. and his appearance drew “rapturous applause” from Labor supporters. “We just need leadership, and Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and New Labor are providing that leadership,” Clinton said. “I’m just here to say thank you, amen and go get ’em.”