FRIDAY’S CAMPAIGN ROUND-UP….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.
* Voters in Minnesota are, not surprisingly, pretty tired of the prolonged fight over the state’s Senate seat. A plurality of Minnesotans want Norm Coleman to concede the race and disagree with his decision to contest the results. Meanwhile, as the process has dragged on, both Coleman’s and Al Franken’s favorability numbers have dropped.
* Speaking of Coleman, the new Senate phone listings are out, and he’s not listed. His office remains closed.
* Gov. David Paterson (D-N.Y.) conceded yesterday there are pluses and minuses to a possible Caroline Kennedy role in the Senate. Of course, we knew that.
* Former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie (R), as expected, is launching a gubernatorial campaign, gearing up to challenge incumbent Gov. Jon Corzine (D). The election is one of two gubernatorial races this year; the other is in Virginia.
* Former Sen. Jim Talent (R-Mo.), who lost his re-election bid in 2006, is planing a comeback, running for Missouri’s open Senate seat in 2010.
* Might Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio) retire at the end of his term in 2010? The rumor mill is going strong in Ohio right now.
* If Arnold Schwarzenegger decides to challenge Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) in 2010, he’ll probably start off as the underdog. A new Research 2000 poll, commissioned by Daily Kos, shows Boxer leading Schwarzenegger by nine, 49% to 40%.
