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:
* Polls showing Pennsylvania Treasurer Bob Casey Jr. (D) leading Sen. Rick “Man on Dog” Santorum (R) last month were no fluke. A new Keystone Poll shows Casey leading 44% to 37% among registered voters.
* Less than a full day after Rep. Katherine Harris (R) announced her Senate campaign in Florida, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee blasted an e-mail solicitation to Dems across the country, reminding everyone of Harris’ role in “fixing” Florida’s campaign results in 2000. “This is the same Katherine Harris who went on TV every night to talk about the importance of counting every vote, but then allowed Republican Party hacks to interfere with the faithful execution of that process,” DSCC staffer Anne Lewis wrote in the e-mail. “Heck, if it weren’t for her mismanagement and overt partisanship, President Al Gore would be halfway through his second term by now.”
* The race to replace Rep. Chris Cox (R-Calif.) is getting more competitive, not less. Though State Senate Minority Leader Dick Ackerman (R) positioned himself as the early favorite, former state Assemblywoman Marilyn Brewer (R) wrote a $150,000 check to her nascent campaign yesterday, letting everyone know that she’s taking the race seriously.
* Rye School Board Member Gary Dodds (D) announced he will officially declare himself a candidate this week in New Hampshire’s 1st District race. He’ll take on Rep. Jeb Bradley (R) in a district that almost always votes Republican.
* Former Seneca Falls (N.Y.) Mayor Brad Jones is moving forward with plans to challenge incumbent Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R) in a Republican primary next year, arguing that Boehlert isn’t right-wing enough. Jones has created an exploratory committee and campaign website, and reportedly has plans to open a campaign headquarters this month. It’ll be the third consecutive House campaign that Boehlert has faced a primary challenge from the far right.
* In Minnesota’s 1st congressional district, high school teacher and National Guard veteran Tim Walz is gearing up to take on Rep. Gil Gutknecht (R) next year. Gutknecht had pledged to serve no more than six terms, but has since reversed course (like all term-limits advocates who get to Congress) and decided to break his pledge. Walz will emphasize the fact that Gutknecht is not as independent as he claims, voting with Tom DeLay 94% of the time.