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.
* As Florida’s gubernatorial campaign gets underway in earnest, a new survey from Public Policy Polling shows Alex Sink (D) leading Rick Scott (R), 41% to 34%. Independent Bud Chiles is third with 8%.
* Speaking of Florida, remember David M. Rivera, the scandal-plagued Republican House candidate? He won his primary yesterday.
* In Arizona, the Republican establishment rallied behind former state Sen. Jonathan Paton as the strongest candidate to take on Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D) in November. GOP primary voters ignored Paton and nominated Tea Party favorite Jesse Kelly, much to the delight of the DCCC.
* A state judge will have to decide fairly soon whether the “Michigan Tea Party,” which may or may not be a sham organization set up by Democrats, will be on the state ballot in November.
* In Colorado, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has launched its first ad, going after Republican nominee Ken Buck’s remarks supporting repeal of the 17th Amendment.
* In Maryland’s gubernatorial rematch, a new poll shows incumbent Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) leading former Gov. Bob Ehrlich (R), 47% to 41%.
* In Louisiana, Sen. David Vitter (R) is engulfed in multiple scandals, but voters haven’t heard much about them. A new survey from Public Policy Polling will show the ethics-challenged incumbent leading Rep. Charlie Melancon (D), 51% to 41%.
* And while disgraced former Ohio Rep. Jim Traficant (D) has been ruled ineligible for November’s ballot, he still has supporters who intend to push his candidacy in court.
