MONDAY’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.
* A trial will kick off in St. Paul today, with a three-judge panel hearing Norm Coleman’s (R) latest complaint challenging his defeat in Minnesota.
* A Quinnipiac poll in New York shows that most voters in the state aren’t especially familiar with newly-appointed Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D).
* Four years ago, then-state Sen. Daniel Mongiardo (D) nearly defeated U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning (R) in Kentucky. In 2010, now-Lt. Gov. Mongiardo wants a rematch, and announced his Senate campaign this morning.
* Former DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe unveiled his first television ad this morning, as part of his gubernatorial campaign in Virginia. It uses the word “job” a lot.
* Club for Growth president Pat Toomey, who challenged Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) in a GOP primary four years ago, will not seek a re-match in 2010. That’s no doubt good news for Specter, but that doesn’t mean he won’t face some other Republican opponent.
* There’s already a big field of candidates hoping to fill the vacancy in Sen. Gillibrand’s House seat. Republican officials expect it to be an easy pick-up.
* It’s mostly behind the scenes, but some Republicans are already positioning themselves for the 2012 presidential race. The latest is former Idaho governor and senator Dirk Kempthorne, who has reportedly “begun to reach out to allies gauge their opinion about whether he should run for President in 2012.”
