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.
* Now that Michael Steele is the chairman of the Republican National Committee, he’s laying off almost the entire RNC staff and will start from scratch.
* A Rasmussen poll shows Virginia Attorney General Bob McDonnell (R) with single-digit leads over his Democratic rivals in this year’s gubernatorial race. The most competitive Democrat, according to the poll, is former state Delegate Brian Moran, who trails McDonnell by three, 39% to 36%.
* A new Research 2000 poll shows Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) narrowly leading his two most likely Democratic opponents, Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo and Rep. Ben Chandler, 46% to 42%. With Bunning under 50%, the pressure on Bunning to retire is bound to get more intense.
* Former Republican Sen. Mike DeWine, who lost his re-election bid in 2006 to Sherrod Brown, is planning to run for statewide office in 2010. It’s unclear which office he’ll seek.
* Speaking of Ohio, former Rep. Steve Chabot (R), who lost in 2008, is seeking a rematch against Rep. Steve Driehaus (D).
* Rep. Jim Gerlach (R) is apparently gearing up to run for governor in Pennsylvania next year.
* After an awkward stint as an ineffective surrogate for John McCain, former eBay HP CEO Carly Fiorina is thinking about challenging Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) next year.
* And former Sen. Bob Smith (R-N.H.) is thinking about running for the Senate again, but this time, he’d do so in Florida, where he’s been selling real estate.
