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.
* For the first time all year, New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine (D) has climbed back in front in his re-election bid. A new Fairleigh Dickinson University Public Mind poll shows the incumbent leading Chris Christie (R) by a very narrow margin, 44% to 43%.
* In a big win for NSRC recruiting, Rep. Mike Castle (R) will announce any minute now that he’s running for the Senate in Delaware next year. Castle is likely to face state Attorney General and Iraq war veteran Beau Biden (D) next November.
* In a turn towards the ugly, a top surrogate for Virginia gubernatorial hopeful Bob McDonnell (R) mocked Creigh Deeds’ (D) speech impediment at a campaign event. The surrogate later apologized.
* Former state House Speaker Marco Rubio’s (R) Senate campaign in Florida got a boost this week by winning over Karl Rove. It’s another sign that Gov. Charlie Crist (R) may have to worry about Rubio after all.
* In related news, Rubio raised nearly $1 million in the third quarter, which is a significant improvement, but far behind Crist’s totals.
* A new Rasmussen poll shows a competitive Senate race in Kentucky next year. Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson appears to be the strongest Republican candidate, while state Attorney General Jack Conway appears to be the strongest Democratic candidate.
* Former Ron Paul economic adviser Peter Schiff (R), running for the Senate in Connecticut, compared policymakers in Washington to Nazis, and compared himself to WWII heroes.
* And while New Hampshire’s competitive Senate race next year is of great interest, it’s worth keeping in mind that 86% of state voters are “still trying to decide” which candidate they prefer.
