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:
* One of the three undecided House races from this year’s midterm elections appears to have wrapped up. The AP reported this morning that Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce has narrowly defeated Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy. Pryce led by about a thousand voted on Election Night, sparking an automatic recount. Ultimately, Pryce picked up an additional seven votes.
* In another undecided House race, incumbent Rep. Henry Bonilla (R-Texas) and former Rep. Ciro Rodriguez (D) will face off tomorrow in a run-off election in Texas’ 23rd congressional district. Democratic officials consider the race winnable and former President Bill Clinton was in the district yesterday to campaign on Rodriguez’s behalf.
* Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Calif.) had decided to retire in advance of the 2006 cycle, but was talked into one more campaign by House GOP leaders. In an unexpected twist, Gallegly, Roll Call reported today, “has now scrapped his exit plans altogether and is preparing to run for re-election in 2008.”
* Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley is expected to announce today that he’s seeking re-election to a sixth term. If successful, he’ll break his father’s record for longevity.
* Many 2008 hopefuls are publishing new books in advance of the race, but Sen. Hillary Clinton is re-releasing an old one. “It Takes a Village” will go on sale tomorrow, 10 years after the original was published. The WaPo reported, “In a newly written introduction, Clinton ‘reflects on how our village has changed over the last decade — from the impact of the Internet to new research in early child development and education,’ according to her publisher, Simon & Schuster. Clinton also discusses such issues as security, the environment and the national debt.