My new daily feature about campaign-related news items that wouldn’t generate a post of their own, but may be of interest to political observers:
* A week after the RNC said helping Rick “Man on Dog” Santorum keep his seat is the party’s top ’06 priority, DNC Chairman Howard Dean said the party would do “anything we can” to defeat the senator next year.
* The ongoing quest to find a Republican willing to take on Hillary Clinton next year continues, but William Brenner, a Sullivan County attorney, apparently intends to give it a shot. Brenner’s political experience is limited to getting trounced by Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D) last year.
* The assumptions that Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.) will reverse course and take on Lincoln Chafee next year may yet prove false. Though Kennedy appeared to be moving closer to a campaign, the sudden illness of his mother may force him to change his plans. “There’s nobody more important in Patrick Kennedy’s life than his mother,” said Kennedy’s friend and former chief of staff Tony Macella. “If it comes down between Patrick taking care of his mother and a run for the United States Senate, there’s no question in my mind that his mother comes first.”
* Now that Georgia’s re-redistricting is nearly complete, Rep. Charlie Norwood (R) is poised to take on Rep. John Barrow (D) is a newly redrawn 10th District. Norwood had a lung transplant last fall, but now says he’s healthy enough to continue serving and campaigning. (Norwood is perhaps best known for his dramatic flip-flop on Patients’ Bill of Rights legislation in 2001.)
* Attorney Richard Morrison lost to Tom DeLay by 14 points last year, but it was the closest race DeLay’s had in his political career. Encouraged by his competitiveness, Morrison is gearing up for a rematch.
* Alabama’s gubernatorial race, which will no doubt prove to be one of the nation’s more bizarre contests, has a new candidate: Attorney Harry Lyon. Though Lyon has been running for various offices in the state for 20 years, sometimes as a Dem and sometimes as a Republican, this time he’ll be a Dem again. Lt. Gov. Lucy Baxley (D) and former Gov. Don Siegelman (D) have both expressed interest in the race, while on the other side of the aisle, incumbent Gov. Bob Riley (R) may face a primary challenge from disgraced theocrat Roy Moore.