THURSDAY’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.
* It’s a survey from a Democratic pollster, but a new poll in Nevada shows Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) pulling ahead in his re-election bid, now leading Sue “Bring a Chicken to the Doctor” Lowden (R) by five, 42% to 37%.
* On a related note, Lowden also seems to be slipping among Nevada Republicans. A Mason-Dixon poll shows her leading the GOP Senate primary field, but only with just 30% support. Her two closest Republican rivals are both within single digits.
* A new Quinnipiac poll might give Rep. Joe Sestak another boost in his Pennsylvania Democratic primary against Sen. Arlen Specter. Testing general election match-ups, Quinnipiac shows Sestak faring better against Republican Pat Toomey than Specter does.
* On a related note, Specter made an unfortunate mistake at a key moment: he opened and closed his remarks to the Allegheny County Democratic Committee’s Jefferson-Jackson dinner this week by thanking them for their support. Regrettably, he called them the Allegheny County Republicans.
* Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (I) has decided he’s going to hold onto the money he received from Republicans before leaving the GOP Senate primary.
* With less than a week to go before Kentucky’s Senate Republican primary, a new SurveyUSA poll shows right-wing ophthalmologist Rand Paul easily beating Secretary of State Trey Grayson, 49% to 33%.
* Speaking of Kentucky, the latest Bluegrass Poll shows a far more competitive race in the Democratic Senate primary. Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo now leads state Attorney General Jack Conway by just one point, 38% to 37%.
* And in New York, activist Jonathan Tasini announced today that he’s dropping his long-shot primary bid against Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D), and will instead take on Rep. Charles Rangel (D).
