WEDNESDAY’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 New Jersey’s gubernatorial race, a new Rasmussen poll shows Gov. Jon Corzine (D) leading Chris Christie (R) by one, 37% to 36%. However, when independent Chris Daggett’s supporters were pushed further, Christie led Corzine, 41% to 39%.
* Two new polls show Bob McDonnell (R) pulling away in Virginia’s gubernatorial race. A SurveyUSA poll shows McDonnell leading Creigh Deeds (D) by a whopping 19 points, 59% to 40%, while a Public Policy Polling survey shows McDonnell up by 12, 52% to 40%.
* Though Deeds has kept his distance from President Obama, the Democratic gubernatorial hopeful’s new ad relies entirely on a recent endorsement speech from the president.
* Florida’s Senate race is getting more interesting all the time. A new Quinnipiac poll shows Gov. Charlie Crist’s lead over Marco Rubio dropping quickly in the Republican primary. Crist still leads by 15, 50% to 35%, but Crist led by 29 in the last Quinnipiac poll. For what it’s worth, the same poll showed Rep. Kendrick Meek (D) leading Rubio in a hypothetical match-up, 36% to 33%, while Crist led Meek by 20.
* Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner’s (D) Senate campaign has been struggling of late, but reports of financial difficulties may doom her bid. Brunner is facing Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher in a Democratic primary, and the party establishment has largely rallied behind Fisher.
* Despite his scandals, Sen. David Vitter (R) still maintains strong re-election numbers in Louisiana. The latest poll from the Times-Picayune shows the far-right Republican leading Rep. Charlie Melancon (D) by 12, 48% to 36%.
* In Michigan, a Detroit News poll shows Rep. Pete Hoekstra and state Attorney General Mike Cox as the leading contenders for the Republican nomination in next year’s gubernatorial race. Lt. Gov. John Cherry is the leading Democratic candidate, though most Michigan Dems remain undecided. In hypothetical match-ups, Cherry maintains small leads over both Hoekstra and Cox.
