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 bad news for New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine (D) is that a new Quinnipiac poll shows him trailing Republican Chris Christie by nine, 51% to 42%. The good news is, Quinnipiac showed him trailing by 12 a month ago.
* With Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) ending her primary campaign against Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) will other Dems steer clear, too? Probably. Over the last few days, Reps. Jose Serrano (D-N.Y.) and Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.) both said they don’t intend to run.
* As expected, Urban League president Cheryle Jackson announced yesterday that she’s running for the Senate in Illinois, and will face state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias in a Democratic primary. Potential problem for Jackson: she served as Rod Blagojevich’s press secretary during his first term.
* The Republican primary in Kansas open-seat Senate race continues to be very competitive. A new SurveyUSA poll shows Rep. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) leading Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-Kan.), 38% to 32%, with a whole lot of undecideds.
* Minnesota state Sen. Mike Jungbauer (R) announced that he’s running for governor next year, because, he believes, God told him to run. Jungbauer, a graduate of the Moody Bible Institute, lives in Rep. Michele Bachmann’s (R) district.
* Who will Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (R) choose to replace Sen. Mel Martinez (R)? Chris Cillizza considers the possibilities. For what it’s worth, Jeb Bush isn’t interested.
* With Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison’s (R-Tex.) giving up her seat to run for governor, would-be successors are already eyeing the Senate seat. Apparently, Rep. Joe Barton (R-Tex.) is interested.
* In the special election to replace Rep. John McHugh (R) in New York’s 23rd, Dems will run attorney Bill Owens against state Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava (R). Owens isn’t exactly a liberal.
