WEDNESDAY’S CAMPAIGN ROUND-UP…. Today’s installment of campaign-related news items that wouldn’t necessarily generate a post of their own, but may be of interest to political observers:
* In Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate race, the closely-watched contest is either getting more competitive or less, depending on which poll you believe. The new Reuters/Ipsos poll shows Joe Sestak (D) and Pat Toomey (R) tied at 46% each. But a new Franklin and Marshall poll shows Toomey up by seven, 43% to 36%.
* In California’s U.S. Senate race, a new survey from Public Policy Polling shows Sen. Barbara Boxer (D) leading Carly Fiorina (R), 52% to 43%. A Suffolk University poll found the identical result.
* Fiorina was forced off the campaign trail yesterday, having to be hospitalized in Los Angeles with an infection stemming from reconstructive breast surgery.
* And speaking of California, the Suffolk poll also shows Jerry Brown (D) leading in the state’s gubernatorial race, 50% to 42%.
* In Minnesota’s gubernatorial race, the latest St. Cloud State University poll shows former Sen. Mark Dayton (D) up by 10 over Tom Emmer (R), 40% to 30%. Independence Party nominee Tom Horner is a competitive third with 19%.
* Salon lists the “10 most terrifying would-be congressmen.” That’s a fair description; it’s a scary list.
* In Connecticut’s Rhode Island’s gubernatorial race, Independent Lincoln Chafee, the former Republican senator, has a new ad touting kind words about him from President Obama. (The remarks were delivered in 2008, not this year.)
* Any hopes of Dems keeping Evan Bayh’s Senate seat in Indiana are long gone. The latest EPIC/MRA poll shows corporate lobbyist Dan Coats (R) leading Rep. Brad Ellsworth (D), 53% to 35%.
* And in Hawaii’s gubernatorial race, a Honolulu Star-Advertiser poll shows former Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D) up by eight over Duke Aiona (R), 51% to 43%.
