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.
* How worried is Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s (R) team about former Houston Mayor Bill White (D)? Nervous enough that Perry’s former chief of staff paid quite a bit of money to try to get the Green Party of Texas on the ballot.
* In related news, former President Bill Clinton is giving White a hand, and endorsed the Democratic gubernatorial nominee yesterday. Clinton framed the campaign as a choice “between a proven, mainstream public servant, Bill White, and one of the most strident, divisive political figures in the nation.”
* It’s Rasmussen, so take the results with a grain of salt, but Democrats were thrilled yesterday when Rasmussen showed Sen. Richard Burr (R) with only a one-point lead — 44% to 43% — over Elaine Marshall (D) in North Carolina’s Senate race.
* When voters consider various candidates this year, most will view an endorsement from former half-term Gov. Sarah Palin (R) as a clear negative. A plurality of Americans are “very uncomfortable” with candidates “endorsed by Sarah Palin.”
* In the wake of revelations about his work in a sleazy infomercial, former Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-Ariz.) apologized yesterday, calling it “a mistake.” Hayworth is being hammered by John McCain’s campaign, as the two face off in a Republican primary.
* In related news, a Magellan Strategies poll shows McCain leading Hayworth in the GOP primary, 52% to 29%.
* In Vermont, Rasmussen shows Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie (R) leading all five Democratic gubernatorial candidates, in margins ranging from 7 to 26 points.
* And at this point, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) probably won’t endorse anyone in his state’s open U.S. Senate race.
