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
* With less than three weeks to go before the Republican gubernatorial primary in New Jersey, a new Quinnipiac poll<\/a> businessman Doug Forrester leading former Jersey City mayor Bret Schundler, 39% to 33%. The two continued to exchange bitter attacks<\/a> yesterday, with Schundler calling a press conference to demand Forrester apologize for being a big liar, and Forrester responding by releasing a flier listing Schundler’s “Top 10 Lies.”<\/p>\n * The president heads to Milwaukee today to pitch Social Security privatization, but considering how much Wisconsinites hate his scheme, he has an uphill climb ahead of him. A new Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel poll<\/a> shows only 28% of adults in the state approve of Bush’s handling of Social Security. A whopping 63% disapprove.<\/p>\n * A new Republican poll shows Washington gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi with a big lead over incumbent Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) in a potential match-up for next year’s election, with Rossi leading 50% to 41%<\/a>. Rossi, who was in DC<\/a> yesterday to raise money for his ongoing election challenge, continues to say he’s not interested in the Senate race and is focusing on becoming governor.<\/p>\n * If Gov. George E. Pataki (R) decides not to run for re-election, New York Secretary of State Randy Daniels might. Daniels, a former CBS newsman appointed to the post by Pataki, said yesterday<\/a> that he’d likely throw his hat into the ring if Pataki does not run. In fact, Daniels has already hired<\/a> GOP pollster John McLaughlin, a New Yorker who worked on Arnold Schwarzenegger’s campaign last year.<\/p>\n * State Sen. Matt Dunne (D-Vt.), widely considered a rising star by party leaders, has begun raising money<\/a> for a possible campaign for Vermont’s lone U.S. House seat, which will be vacant next year with Bernie Sanders running for the Senate.<\/p>\n