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
* According to a new Field Poll<\/a> in California, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) still trails his most likely Dem rivals in next year’s gubernatorial race, though voters are not as familiar with who the Dems are running. In hypothetical match-ups for next year, State Treasurer Phil Angelides (D) leads Schwarzenegger 47% to 41%, while State Controller Steve Westly (D) is ahead, 46% to 40%.<\/p>\n * In Oregon, former state Republican Party chairman Kevin Mannix formally entered<\/a> the gubernatorial race yesterday, setting up a possible rematch of the 2002 race that pit Mannix against Gov. Ted Kulongoski (D). So far, Mannix’s leading opponents for the Republican nomination are attorney Ron Saxton, whom Mannix defeated in the 2002 primary, and state Sen. Jason Atkinson.<\/p>\n * With the number of high-profile Republicans anxious to take on Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano (D) dwindling to zero, the state party is left with quixotic campaigns from first-time candidates. This week, Jan Smith Florez, a former teacher and judge with no political experience, officially declared<\/a> her candidacy.<\/p>\n * The New York Times spoke to a number of prominent Dems in the city, trying to find one who believed Fernando Ferrer would win the city’s mayoral race next week. The Times came up empty<\/a>.<\/p>\n * Now that Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard (R) has officially re-entered the Michigan Senate race, the Rev. Keith Butler (R) has been frantically calling around<\/a> to members of the state’s House delegation to make sure they had not switched their support. Given Republican concerns about Butler’s viability — some party officials call Butler too conservative and question whether an African-American can prevail in rural precincts — Bouchard’s candidacy is prompting many to rethink their endorsements, party officials say.<\/p>\n