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:
* The ongoing struggle among Michigan Republicans to find a challenger for Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) has taken yet another turn. After several recruited candidates said no (and unwanted candidates said yes), Republicans have turned their attention to Domino’s Pizza CEO David Brandon. He’s already traveled to DC to meet with party officials, but he has not yet indicated whether he’ll run or not. “In my opinion he’s not getting in the race and he never was,” said one knowledgeable Republican operative. “He’s not calling anyone, he’s not showing up at anything. I think it’s the wishful thinking of people.”
* Speaking of Republican recruiting troubles, Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) is supposed to be a top target in next year’s elections, but the GOP hasn’t been able to recruit a top-tier challenger. After their top choices have rejected overtures, Republicans are now cautiously optimistic about Susan McCaw, who is married to billionaire cell phone magnate Craig McCaw. Though she has no political experience, McCaw has excited party insiders because she’d be able to finance her own campaign.
* Despite several weeks of apparent interest, former state Rep. Al Salvi (R) has apparently decided not to run for Congress against freshman Rep. Melissa Bean (D). Illinois Family Taxpayer Network President Jack Roeser said that Salvi informed him of his decision during a June 20 meeting. “Among other things, we discussed the 8th Congressional District race,” Roeser wrote in a statement posted on the group’s Web site. “In the course of that discussion, Al advised us that he was not going to be a candidate for that office in 2006.” Savli has been considered the favorite to win the GOP nomination in the race.
* The race to succeed Rep. Katherine Harris (R-Fla.), who’s giving her 13th district seat to run for the Senate, has taken shape in recent weeks. Former Sarasota County Republican Chairman Tramm Hudson and auto dealer Vern Buchanan appear to be the leading contenders for the GOP nod and both men have considerable personal resources to devote to the race. State Rep. Nancy Detert (R), a Republican moderate, is also in the race, and hopes that Hudson and Buchanan split the conservative vote and allows her to sneak past them.
* A recently-released poll in Indiana’s Vanderburgh County suggests Sheriff Brad Ellsworth (D) has a real opportunity against Rep. John Hostettler (R) in the populous county in Hostettler’s congressional district. A Garin-Hart-Yang poll showed Ellsworth leading Hostettler by a wide margin — 61% to 29%. In contrast, just last November, Hostettler won 50% of the vote in Vanderburgh County. “We are not under any illusion that Sheriff Ellsworth enjoys the same kind of standing and name recognition in the rest of the 8th” Congressional district, according to the Garin-Hart-Yang memo that accompanied the poll. “We feel confident that with the financial resources to raise his profile outside Vanderburgh County, that Brad Ellsworth has an excellent chance to defeat Congressman Hostettler next November.”