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
* Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio), best known for calling decorated veteran John Murtha a “coward,” was reprimanded<\/a> by the Ohio Elections Commission yesterday for “false statements” — claiming she had a second undergraduate degree from the University of Cincinnati that she never received. The Commission, which approved the reprimand unanimously, cited the campaign’s “reckless disregard for truth.” The censure was released just five days before Schmidt faces off against former Rep. Bob McEwen (R) in a Republican primary in Ohio’s 2nd congressional district.<\/p>\n * There’s little doubt that Bob Casey is leading in Pennsylvania’s Senate race; the only question is by how much. While some recent polls showed Casey’s leading slipping to the high-single digits, a new Rasmussen poll<\/a> shows Casey ahead, 51% to 38%.<\/p>\n * The Wisconsin gubernatorial race remains one of the nation’s most competitive contests, according to a new Rasmussen poll<\/a>. According to the survey, Gov. Jim Doyle (D) is still leading Rep. Mark Green (R), but the margin has slipped to 47% to 43%. Doyle enjoys a 52% approval rating statewide. If former Gov. Tommy Thompson were to enter the race, he’d lead Doyle, 46% to 44%.<\/p>\n * Montgomery County Executive Doug Duncan (D) has chosen former Baltimore state’s attorney Stuart Simms as his gubernatorial running mate<\/a>. Simms was elected twice as the city’s top prosecutor in the 1990s. Duncan will face Baltimore Mayor Martin O’Malley in a Dem primary.<\/p>\n * Most recent polls show Rhode Island Sen. Linc Chafee (R) as one of the more vulnerable incumbents this year, but a new Rhode Island College poll<\/a> shows the opposite. In this survey, Chafee leads former state Attorney General Sheldon Whitehouse (D), 51% to 32%. (via Taegan Goddard<\/a>)<\/p>\n