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:
* As expected, Councilman Antonio Villaraigosa easily defeated Mayor James Hahn in Los Angeles’ mayoral race yesterday. With 98 percent of precincts reporting, Villaraigosa had 59% to Hahn’s 41%. Villaraigosa will become the first Hispanic mayor of Los Angeles since 1872, while Hahn becomes the first Los Angeles mayor in 32 years to lose a re-election fight.
* Ralph Reed’s popularity in Georgia has not withstood his connections to the Jack Abramoff scandals. A new poll shows State Sen. Casey Cagle, Reed’s GOP rival in Georgia’s Lt. Gov. race, closing the gap against the former Christian Coalition director and keeping Reed below 50%. In a head-to-head match-up, Reed leads with 45%, Cagle has 32%, with 23% undecided. Considering that Cagle is not well known statewide, most observers saw these results as bad news for Reed. “Casey’s high approval rating and low negatives provide a solid base on which to win this election, particularly for a State Senator who has not yet run any statewide advertising. Ralph, on the other hand, has exceptionally high negatives for a nationally-known figure and will have to work hard and spend heavily to have any chance at lowering them,” said Republican Pollster John McLaughlin.
* Florida Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher (R) will announce his gubernatorial campaign today, confirming months of rumors. He’ll face Attorney General Charlie Crist and Lt. Gov. Toni Jennings in a GOP primary next year. This is Gallagher’s third campaign for governor, after unsuccessful bids in 1986 and 1994, in which he lost in the primaries.
* Jerry Zandstra, who heads a conservative think tank in Michigan, is planning to launch a campaign for Senate this week, becoming the second GOP candidate to try and take on incumbent Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D). Zandstra not only heads the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion & Liberty, he’s also a preacher at the Hillside Community Church in Cutlerville.
* New Jersey’s Republican gubernatorial candidates held a televised debate last night and proved one thing: they really don’t like each other. The primary election is in just three weeks.
* About a month ago, Cranston Mayor Stephen Laffey (R) hinted strongly that he might consider challenging Sen. Linc Chafee (R-R.I.) in a primary. Now, Laffey is getting encouragement to do just that by Pat Toomey, president of the Club for Groth, who knows a thing or two about taking on a GOP moderate incumbent in a primary fight.