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.
* MoveOn.org and Democracy for America announced yesterday that they’ve secured $3.5 million in commitments to support primary challenges against Senate Democrats who side with Republicans on a filibuster of health care reform. (That, alas, won’t work against Lieberman.)
* The far-right Club for Growth has released a new television ad attacking Florida Gov. Charlie Crist for supporting President Obama’s stimulus package. The group has not yet formally endorsed Marco Rubio, but that’s only a matter of time.
* New York Gov. David Paterson (D) has very low approval ratings, and polls show voters don’t want him to seek a full term, but he seems to be moving forward anyway. Paterson has reportedly hired Harold Ickes, former President Bill Clinton’s Deputy Chief of Staff, as a member of his team. The governor has also unveiled two new television ads.
* Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak (D) announced yesterday that he’s running for governor in Minnesota next year. The office is currently held by Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R), who is not seeking another term.
* The GOP’s far-right base isn’t impressed with Carly Fiorina’s (R) Senate campaign in California, but that didn’t stop eight Republican Senators — McConnell, Kyl, Murkowski, McCain, Coburn, Collins, Graham, and Snowe — from throwing their support to the first-time candidate.
* Speaking of California, Meg Whitman’s (R) gubernatorial campaign is off to a rough start, but a Capitol Weekly still shows her leading among Republican primary voters. Though most are still undecided, Whitman currently leads former Rep. Tom Campbell, 34% to 13%.
* And in still more California-related news, might Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D) run for governor? She seemed to be strongly leaning against the idea a few months ago, but yesterday, Feinstein said she hasn’t ruled out the possibility.
* And while the National Republican Senatorial Committee assured right-wing activists that it would not offer financial support to GOP candidates in primary fights, hosting fundraisers for favored candidates apparently doesn’t count.
