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.
* Connecticut Gov. Jodi Rell (R) announced yesterday she will not seek another term next year. Three top-tier Democrats had already announced their campaigns — Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz , Stamford Mayor Dannel Malloy and 2006 Senate nominee Ned Lamont — and the leading Republican at this point appears to be Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele. The race quickly became one of the top Democratic pick-up opportunities of 2010.
* MoveOn.org has launched a new ad targeting seven House incumbents who opposed health care reform on Saturday. The spot accuses the lawmakers of having “stood small” while others “stood tall.”
* In Colorado, state Sen. Josh Penry (R) is ending his gubernatorial campaign, and throwing his support to his primary opponent, former Rep. Scott McInnis (R). Penry’s announcement is something of a setback for the national party, which had heavily recruited him. The move sets up a showdown for McInnis against incumbent Gov. Bill Ritter (D) next year.
* The latest Public Policy Polling survey in Maine shows a plurality of Maine Republicans (46%) disapproving of the job Sen. Olympia Snowe (R) is doing. Perhaps more important, if Snowe were to face a more conservative primary challenger, Maine Republicans would vote against Snowe, 59% to 31%.
* In the Senate special election in Massachusetts, frontrunner and state Attorney General Martha Coakley (D) said she wouldn’t vote for a health care reform bill with the Stupak amendment. Coakley’s top Democratic challenger, Rep. Michael Capuano, who voted for the bill, criticized the position.
* In Nevada, former state GOP Chair Sue Lowden’s Senate campaign has taken a hit after laughing about the 1981 assassination attempt on Harry Reid’s life. She’s apparently also facing criticism from Ron Paul fans for having undermined his presidential campaign last year.
