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:
* Westchester County District Attorney Jeanine Pirro (R) said Monday she will seek statewide office in 2006, but no one’s sure which office. State GOP officials have described her as their “dream candidate” to take on Sen. Hillary Clinton, but Pirro hinted she might run for state attorney general, especially now that it will be an open race with Eliot Spitzer running for governor. A statewide poll earlier this month matching Clinton and Pirro had Clinton leading, 62 percent to 27 percent.
* Former FBI agent Coleen Rowley, named one of Time magazine’s people of the year for 2002 after criticizing the agency for ignoring her pleas to investigate Zacarias Moussaoui more aggressively before 9/11, said yesterday that she is considering a campaign for Congress as a Democrat. If Rowley runs, she’ll likely take on two-term Rep. John Kline (R-Minn.).
* A spokesperson for California state Controller Steve Westly (D) said “he’s in” when referring to Westly’s interest in next year’s gubernatorial race. The multimillionaire former executive at eBay has written a $10 million check to his gubernatorial campaign account, the clearest signal yet that he’s taking the race seriously. Westly will face State Treasurer Phil Angelides in a Dem primary.
* Santa Fe City Councilman David Pfeffer, who recently switched party allegiance to the GOP, says he’s is “on the cusp” of launching a campaign against incumbent Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.).
* Mississippi state Rep. Chuck Espy (D) appears ready to launch a primary campaign against Rep. Bennie Thompson (D) next year. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who, like most party leaders is not fond of primary challenges to incumbent lawmakers, is working back channels to convince Espy not to run.
* In advance of next year’s gubernatorial campaign in Kansas, most top-tier Republicans — Reps. Jerry Moran, Jim Ryun, Attorney General Phill Kline — have decided not to take on Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D), but state House Speaker Doug Mays (R) is already is letting people know he’s running. Yesterday, Mays filed the paperwork to form a statewide campaign committee.
* And in 2008 news, Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R), best known for his successful dieting book, has told friends he plans to run for president.