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.
* Citing a long-gone filing deadline, officials in West Virginia announced yesterday that the special election to the late Sen. Robert Byrd (D) will be in 2012, not in November as Republicans had hoped. Gov. Joe Manchin (D) will have to select someone to fill the seat for two years — former state party chairman Nick Casey appears to be a leading candidate — while deciding whether to launch his own campaign in two years.
* In Ohio, a new Quinnipiac poll shows incumbent Gov. Ted Strickland (D) leading John Kasich (R) by five, 43% to 38%.
* Kentucky Senate hopeful Rand Paul spoke to Christian Homeschool Educators and was asked how old he believes the earth is. He declined to answer.
* In Wisconsin, the latest survey from Public Policy Polling shows incumbent Sen. Russ Feingold (D) leading right-wing businessman Ron Johnson (R) by just two, 45% to 43%.
* It’s Rasmussen, so take the results with a grain of salt, but the pollster shows Sen. David Vitter (R) with a big lead over Rep. Charlie Melancon (D) in this year’s race, despite Vitter’s humiliating scandals, 53% to 35%.
* In Kansas, SurveyUSA found Rep. Jerry Moran up by 20 over Rep. Todd Tiahrt in the Republican Senate primary, 53% to 33%.
* Hoping for another “macaca” moment, the Democratic National Committee has launched its new “Accountability Project,” a website devoted to “citizens uploading content from political events including audio and video — a central resource to hold Republicans accountable.”