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.
* The margin was closer than he would have liked, but corporate lobbyist Dan Coats won Indiana’s Republican Senate primary yesterday. Rep. Dan Burton (R) staved off a primary challenger, too.
* In North Carolina, as expected, Secretary of State Elaine Marshall edged former state Sen. Cal Cunningham in the Democratic Senate primary, but neither received 40% of the vote and will face each other again in a June 22 runoff.
* In Ohio, Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher defeated Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner in the Democratic Senate primary, and will face former Bush Budget Director Rob Portman (R), who did not face a primary opponent, in November.
* A post-announcement bump for Charlie Crist? Rasmussen’s latest poll of Florida’s Senate race shows the now-independent Crist leading the pack with 38%, followed by Republican Marco Rubio with 34%, and Democrat Kendrick Meek at 17%.
* President Obama wants to help the Democrat in Hawaii’s 1st district special election, but there are two and the White House is neutral between them. So, the president has recorded a robocall encouraging a “crucial” vote for “a Democrat” for help with “our agenda for change.”
* Speaking of Hawaii, Dems aren’t feeling comfortable about the House special election, but former Rep. Neil Abercrombie’s (D) gubernatorial campaign is on much firmer ground.
* The Republican establishment continues to rally behind Trey Grayson’s Senate campaign, but the latest survey from Public Policy Polling shows right-wing ophthalmologist Rand Paul leading Grayson by a comfortable margin, 46% to 28%.
* And in Virginia, former Rep. Virgil Goode has apparently joined the Constitution Party, which believes Republicans are too liberal. Goode is reportedly considering another run for Congress against Rep. Thomas Perriello (D), who defeated him in 2008.
