TUESDAY’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.
* The National Republican Senatorial Committee is circulating a new attack ad, which hopes to connect President Obama and the AIG bonuses.
* On a related note, the far-right American Issues Project is also planning new attack ads connecting Obama to AIG bonuses. The group, which intended to be a major player in 2008 before failing to line up the necessary finances, is reportedly prepared to spend “more than $500,000” on the new spot.
* The DNC is moving forward on a new commission “to study the party’s primary and caucus calendar for the next election.” Given that Obama is likely to seek re-election, the DNC process — which will reportedly try to downplay the role of superdelegates and make caucuses more inclusive — is eyeing changes with 2016 in mind.
* If New York Gov. David Paterson (D) expects to seek another term, he probably ought to think again. A new Siena College Research Institute poll show his approval rating down to just 19%, in a hypothetical primary match-up against state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, Cuomo leads by a nearly four-to-one margin.
* Rep. Sandy Levin (D-Mich.), now in his 14th term, is considered one of Congress’ safest members, but he’ll nevertheless face a primary challenge next year from state Sen. Mickey Switalski (D), who can’t seek re-election in Michigan due to term limits.
* California’s gubernatorial race is still pretty far off, but San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom (D) has “already begun campaigning.” He’ll likely face state Attorney General Jerry Brown and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, among others, in a Democratic primary.
* Todd Herman, a former Microsoft executive, has joined Michael Steele’s team as the RNC’s New Media Director. (His task, apparently, will be to take Republicans “beyond cutting edge.”)
