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
* The Dem establishment entered Virginia’s Senate primary in a big way yesterday, with several major players endorsing<\/a> former Navy Secretary [tag]James Webb[\/tag]’s campaign. Among the party leaders throwing their support behind Webb yesterday were Harry Reid, Tom Daschle, Dick Durbin, Chris Dodd, Ken Salazar, Tim Johnson, and Max Cleland. Webb is facing businessman [tag]Harris Miller[\/tag] in a Dem primary, through the pressure is now on Miller to step aside.<\/p>\n * Though some recent polls have shown the race tightening, a new Quinnipiac poll<\/a> shows state Treasurer [tag]Bob Casey[\/tag] (D) with a comfortable lead over Sen. [tag]Rick Santorum[\/tag] (R) in Pennsylvania, 49% to 36%. This is slightly larger than Casey’s 48% to 37% lead in a Quinnipiac poll taken last month.<\/p>\n * Speaking of Pennsylvania, Gov. [tag]Ed Rendell[\/tag] (D) has extended his lead<\/a> in the state’s gubernatorial race, according to a poll conducted by Strategic Vision, a Republican firm. According to the poll, Rendell now leads former football player [tag]Lynn Swann[\/tag] (R) 49% to 41%. The same firm showed Rendell leading 44% to 42% last month.<\/p>\n * Michigan’s gubernatorial race continues to be one of the most competitive in the country, according to a new EPIC\/MRA poll<\/a>. At this point, Amway heir [tag]Dick DeVos[\/tag] (R) has a narrow, 46% to 45% lead over Gov. [tag]Jennifer Granholm[\/tag] (D). Pollsters attributed Granholm’s difficulties to the state’s slow economy.<\/p>\n * Businessman John Raese may have won West Virginia’s Republican Senate primary this week, but he still has a long way to go before he catches his Dem opponent, Sen. Robert Byrd (D). According a new Rasmussen poll<\/a>, Byrd leads Raese, 57% to 34%.<\/p>\n * In Texas, former Republican Rep. [tag]Steve Stockman[\/tag], seeking Tom DeLay’s seat as an independent, announced yesterday that he has collected enough voter signatures<\/a> to appear on the ballot. Stockman will face former Rep. [tag]Nick Lampson[\/tag] (D) and whomever a committee of local GOP precinct chairmen picks as the Republican candidate.<\/p>\n