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.
* Following Sarah Palin’s appearance last night at a Republican congressional fundraiser, an unnamed GOP senator from the South told The Hill, “She has to hunker down and govern and show she’s not a joke.”
* It’s primary day for Virginia’s Democratic gubernatorial candidates.
* Remember former New Hampshire Sen. Bob Smith? He was a far-right Republican, then an independent, then a Republican who endorsed John Kerry, than the only Republican incumbent in the Senate in recent memory to lose in a primary. Now, Smith is running for the Senate again — in Florida.
* Sen. Richard Burr (R) is still considered vulnerable in North Carolina next year, but Dems can’t find a top-tier challenger. Yesterday, Rep. Heath Shuler (D) ruled out the possibility.
* The Club for Growth has apparently decided to make Florida Gov. Charlie Crist’s (R) Senate campaign as difficult as possible. Yesterday, the right-wing group gave Crist its “Comrade of the Month” award.
* NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg is still favored to win re-election, but his support has fallen off considerably.
* Ethan Hastert, former House Speaker Dennis Hastert’s (R) son, is running for his father’s former seat. The younger Hastert, who is 31 years old, has never worked in government at any level.
