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
* A new Keystone Poll, conducted by Franklin & Marshall University, was published this morning, and shows Dems leading<\/a> in both of this year’s major statewide races. In Pennsylvania’s Senate race, Bob Casey (D) continues to lead Rick Santorum (R), 50% to 39%. In the gubernatorial race, Gov. Ed Rendell (D) leads retired football player Lynn Swann (R), 45% to 42%.<\/p>\n * Peace activist Cindy Sheehan announced yesterday that she will not run<\/a> for the Senate in California against incumbent Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D). Sheehan told reporters, “I am not running against Senator Feinstein, but I will continue to be a thorn in her side and a thorn in the side of any representative who is not stridently working for peace.”<\/p>\n * Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano (D) continues to look very strong in advance of her re-election campaign this year, with big leads over her likely GOP rivals. According to a new Rasmussen poll<\/a>, Don Goldwater (R) comes the closest of any Republican candidate, and he trails Napolitano, 54% to 31%.<\/p>\n * Former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore (R) may have a devoted theocratic following, but it’s not translating into success for Moore’s gubernatorial campaign. Moore has endorsements from far-right activists nationwide, but his fundraising<\/a> is hurting, as is his standing in the polls<\/a>.<\/p>\n * A Chicago Tribune\/WGN-TV poll<\/a> out this week shows that Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) holds a better than three-to-one advantage over his lesser-known primary challenger while Judy Baar Topinka(R) holds a sizable edge over a crowded field seeking the Republican nomination for governor. For some reason, the Tribune\/WGN poll didn’t ask respondents about a hypothetical head-to-head match-up.<\/p>\n * In Nebraska, former Ameritrade executive Pete Ricketts (R), running in a primary to challenge Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) in November, has boosted his name recognition<\/a> significantly after an expensive ad blitz. Ricketts faces better-known, three-term Attorney General Don Stenberg and former state GOP chairman David Kramer in a Republican primary. Ricketts has contributed almost $1.5 million of his own money to his campaign so far.<\/p>\n