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
* If scandal-ridden Rep. Duke Cunningham (R-Calif.) runs for re-election, as he claims he will, he’ll have to deal with a primary challenge for the first time in his career. Businessman George Schwartzman, who runs a health records management company, announced yesterday<\/a> that he will take on Cunningham next year.<\/p>\n * In related news, School District Trustee Francine Busby (D), who’ll be the Dem nominee in Cunningham’s district, announced last week that she raised more than $100,000<\/a> in the second quarter of 2005 — most of which came after public disgust with Cunningham’s scandals increased.<\/p>\n * Speaking of Dems taking on corrupt Republican incumbents, former Rep. Nick Lampson (D-Texas) has raised more than a half-million dollars<\/a> for his campaign against House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. Since formally entering the 22nd district race on May 5, Lampson has raked in $503,000 with $485,000 left on hand, according to a financial report to be filed with the FEC later this week. “For Nick Lampson to raise this kind of money in just eight weeks is amazing and shows how dedicated he is to winning this race,” Lampson campaign manager Mike Malaise said Monday.<\/p>\n * Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) announced yesterday he will not seek<\/a> the Senate seat being vacated by Paul Sarbanes (D-Md.). Van Hollen, considered a rising star among Maryland Dems, was under intense pressure to skip the race and help clear the way for Rep. Ben Cardin (D), now considered the favorite. The Washington Post noted<\/a>, “Van Hollen was counseled by some senior members of the party…that there would likely be other opportunities if he took a pass on the race.”<\/p>\n * Since Dems assembled the Dean\/Schumer\/Emanuel team earlier this year, party fundraising has been stunningly successful. The DNC raised more than $28 million<\/a> through the first half of 2005, five times as much as the party raised online in 2003 (the last non-election year). Likewise, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee raised $12 million<\/a> in the second quarter of the year, including $7 million in June alone, the best start to a cycle yet for the committee since the elimination of soft money in November 2002. Not to be outdone, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee finished the second quarter with a record-setting $15.2 million<\/a> in the bank after raising $6.9 million in June alone. For the DSCC, six months of fundraising in 2005 has already eclipsed the committee’s fundraising total for all<\/i> of 2003.<\/p>\n