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:<\/p>\n
* After the GOP invested far more time and effort than it wanted to, Republicans won<\/a> two special election House races yesterday. State Rep. Bob Latta (R) held off a challenge in Ohio’s 5th congressional district, defeating Robin Weirauch (D), 57% to 43%. State Del. Rob Wittman (R) defeated Iraq war veteran Philip Forgit (D) in Virginia’s 1st congressional district, 61% to 37%.<\/p>\n * Hoping to put a positive spin on two (largely expected) defeats, DCCC Chairman Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) said<\/a>, “National Republicans, right wing special interest groups, and 527’s, like Freedom’s Watch, are alive and well in Republican House races. They poured more than $500,000 in to save Bob Latta in a 39% Democratic performing district. Tom Cole and the NRCC spending 20 percent of their cash on hand to retain one of the most Republican districts in the country — priceless.”<\/p>\n * A new CNN\/WMUR poll in New Hampshire shows the Democratic race in the first primary state just about tied<\/a>. According to the results, released this morning, Hillary Clinton now leads Barack Obama, 31% to 30%. Since the CNN\/WMUR poll in November, Clinton has lost five points, and Obama has gained eight.<\/p>\n * The same poll<\/a> found * Romney got some very good news on the endorsement front yesterday when the National Review, arguably the most important publication of the conservative movement, threw its backing<\/a> to the former Massachusetts governor. * Mike Huckabee had all kinds of interesting things to say in the early 1990s. In the latest example, Huckabee told the AP<\/a> in 1992, “The U.S. should not kill Saddam Hussein or anyone else.” I imagine if a Democrat had said that, Republicans might have a few things to say about it.<\/p>\n * The Des Moines Register’s David Yepsen is all worked up<\/a> about out-of-state students participating in Iowa’s caucuses. I’m not sure why — the Iowa Secretary of State actively instructs<\/a> students how to do it. Wouldn’t Yepsen want more people participating in the process, especially young people?<\/p>\nMike Huckabee<\/strike> Mitt Romney hanging onto his sizable lead in New Hampshire, leading the GOP pack with 32% support, followed by Rudy Giuliani and John McCain who are tied with 19% each. Mike Huckabee is surging everywhere, except the Granite State, where he remains in single digits — 9%. (Fred Thompson’s support has dropped to just 1% in the state.)<\/p>\n
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\n* John Edwards raised a few eyebrows yesterday when he told an Iowa audience that he has been aggressive about ending the war in Iraq “from the very beginning<\/a>.” A campaign spokesman later said that Edwards was referring to the beginning of his presidential campaign.<\/p>\n