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.
* President Obama has scheduled a series of “Moving America Forward” rallies for the fall. The tour will have at least four stops — Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Nevada — and is intended to “rally the troops and talk to Americans about what’s at stake in the outcome of the midterm elections.”
* In Delaware’s increasingly interesting Republican Senate primary, Christine O’Donnell’s campaign got a boost yesterday with an endorsement from former half-term Gov. Sarah Palin (R). O’Donnell will face the one-time favorite, Rep. Mike Castle, on Tuesday.
* Nevada’s Sharron Angle’s (R) campaign agreed to a planned debate hosted by Jon Ralston, only to have Angle’s campaign spokesperson cancel just hours later. Ralston, arguably Nevada’s most prominent political journalist, really isn’t happy.
* The Arizona Green Party tried to kick some candidates off the ballot this year, after evidence that the candidates are homeless people recruited by Republicans to hurt Democrats. Yesterday, a federal court denied the Arizona Green Party’s request.
* Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, the likely Democratic gubernatorial nominee, has a new ad highlighting his role in trying to help prevent a horrible crime: “Barrett stepped in [in August 2009] to defend a woman who was trying to protect her 1-year-old granddaughter from the girl’s drunk father. The man then attacked Barrett, beating him in the head and hand with a tire iron.”
* In a new campaign ad, Republican gubernatorial hopeful Meg Whitman goes after Jerry Brown (D) based on comments Bill Clinton made during the 1992 presidential campaign.
* A new Detroit News poll shows businessman Rick Snyder (R) continuing to lead Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero (D) in this year’s gubernatorial race, 56.2% to 35.9%.
* In Connecticut, does Senate candidate Linda McMahan have a dead wrestler problem? It sure looks like it.
* In Illinois, Senate hopeful Alexi Giannoulias (D) has no qualms about connecting himself to President Obama, as his new television ad shows.
* And in Maine, the latest survey from Public Policy Polling shows Paul LePage (R) leading Libby Mitchell (D) in this year’s gubernatorial race, 43% to 29%. Eliot Cutler (I) is third with 11% support.
