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.
* In Virginia’s Democratic gubernatorial primary, state Sen. R. Creigh Deeds received some rare good news this morning, earning the endorsement of the Washington Post. “Deeds may not be the obvious choice in the June 9 primary,” the paper’s editorial board said, “but he’s the right one.”
* Speaking of the race in Virginia, the latest Research 2000 poll for Daily Kos is largely in line with other recent gubernatorial surveys in the state: Terry McAuliffe is out in front with 36%, Brian Moran trailed with 22%, and Deeds is in third with 13%. In terms of general-election match-ups, all three Dems trail former state Attorney General Bob McDonnell (R).
* In Florida, Gov. Charlie Crist (R) quickly won the NRSC endorsement for his Senate campaign, but the state Republican Party will not take sides in the primary.
* Also in Florida, state Attorney General Bill McCollum (R) will likely avoid a primary in his gubernatorial campaign.
* While Rep. Joe Sestak (D) is getting grassroots encouragement to challenge Sen. Arlen Specter in Pennsylvania next year, Sestak isn’t hearing any positive signals from the national party.
* Confirming months of rumors, former Rep. Scott McInnis (R) officially kicked off his gubernatorial campaign in Colorado yesterday.
* Stormy Daniels, an adult-film actress, formed an exploratory committee yesterday for the 2010 Senate race in Louisiana.
* And in 2012 news, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour (R) will be spending some time in Iowa next month. That doesn’t necessarily mean he’s thinking about running for president, but it’s not exactly a stretch, either.
