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.
* A story that might shake up Florida’s gubernatorial race: “Two weeks before Florida’s primary, new allegations of improper Medicare billing by Solantic, a health care company co-founded by Rick Scott, have surfaced, in addition to charges made by former Solantic doctors that their names and licenses were used without their consent.”
* It took a little longer than expected, but Minnesota state House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher officially conceded the Democratic gubernatorial primary yesterday, giving former Sen. Mark Dayton the nomination. “I offered him my full support. He will make an excellent governor,” Kelliher said in a statement.
* Any chance former Rep. Tom Tancredo will drop his independent gubernatorial bid in Colorado, now that right-wing novice Dan Maes won the Republican primary? Apparently not. “I have a better chance of winning in a three-way race than Maes has in a two-way race,” Tancredo said yesterday.
* On a related note, the latest survey from Public Policy Polling shows Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper (D) leading Colorado’s gubernatorial race, whether he faces one opponent or two. In a head-to-head race with Maes, Hickenlooper leads by 12; in a three-way contest with Tancredo in the mix, Hickenlooper is up by 25.
* If you’re inclined to believe Rasmussen, the pollster finds Rep. Roy Blunt (R) leading Missouri’s Senate race by seven, topping Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan (D), 50% to 43%.
* Rand Paul (R), the extremist Senate candidate in Kentucky, was forced to apologize yesterday for mischaracterizing the Fancy Farm political church picnic during a Fox News appearance. Paul characterized it as a rowdy gathering, where attendees routinely throw beer. The local Catholic Church that hosts the event, where no alcohol is served, was not amused.
* Arizona congressional candidate Ben Quayle (R), son of a certain former V.P., has been a contributing writer to a raunchy, sex-themed website — a background he initially lied to reporters about.
* Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) will not challenge President Obama in a Democratic primary in 2012. Good to know.
