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 Field Poll in California suggests more voters in the state are ready for a new governor in 2006. Just 39% of registered voters are inclined to give Arnold Schwarzenegger a second term, while 57% are not. (In February, those numbers were nearly reversed, 56-42 in favor of re-election.) In hypothetical match-ups against the leading Dem candidates, Schwarzenegger trails Treasurer Phil Angelides 46-42, and is behind Controller Steve Westly 44-40.
* Speaking of California, the same Field Poll shows Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D) among the most popular figures in the state, with a 54% approval rating (up four points since February), and 26% disapproval. In hypothetical match-ups against Schwarzenegger and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Feinstein cruises to re-election easily.
* In Rhode Island, a new poll confirms widely held beliefs that former Attorney General Sheldon Whitehouse (D) would be a stronger challenger to Sen. Linc Chafee (R) than Secretary of State Matt Brown (D). Looking ahead to next year’s race, Chafee leads Brown 44-29. Chafee also leads Whitehouse, but by a smaller margin, 41-36. Republicans emphasize that Chafee leads both; Dems emphasize that incumbents with support in the low 40s tend to lose.
* Speaking of the Chafee race, Cranston Mayor Steve Laffey (R) continues to consider a challenge to Chafee in a GOP primary. Keeping his party in suspense, Laffey said this week that he’ll take the summer to fully consider a bid. “I am spending part of this summer talking to people and gauging personal commitments for a potential Senate run,” he said in a statement released Tuesday night. “It’s the future for our children that I care about most deeply. If I conclude that the best way for me to improve their future is to run for the United States Senate, then I will do that.”
* Though she was once considered a top target, Rep. Stephanie Herseth (D-S.D.) appears to be consolidating her grip on her House seat and Republicans are having trouble finding anyone willing to take her on. Larry Diedrich, the former Republican state Senator who lost to Herseth twice said, “I think overall people think she’s doing what she needs to for South Dakota. Obviously, her numbers are very good and obviously she’s doing a very good job. People’s perceptions are pretty good. She’d be a difficult candidate to beat, I’d assume.” A Public Opinion Strategies poll recently put Herseth’s statewide approval rating at a whopping 74%.
* Most of the Republican establishment seems to be urging him to run for the Senate next year, but Florida House speaker Allan Bense (R) said this week he’ll need more time to decide what to do.