MONDAY’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:
* Anonymous Texas Republicans have begun distributing flyers in African-American neighborhoods, telling locals that straight ticket Democratic votes are being miscounted as Republican votes. That’s obviously not true.
* In the state of Washington, a new survey from Public Policy Polling shows the U.S. Senate race slipping away from Democrats. PPP has Dino Rossi (R) edging past Sen. Patty Murray (D), 50% to 48%. The latest McClatchy/Marist poll, meanwhile, shows Murray with a one-point lead, 49% to 48%.
* In Nevada’s U.S. Senate race, a new Public Policy Polling survey shows Sharron Angle (R) up by one over Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D), 47% to 46%. It’s the eighth consecutive poll showing Reid trailing, though all show Angle’s lead at below 5 points. For what it’s worth, Jon Ralston, Nevada’s leading political reporter, still thinks Reid will come out on top.
* In Illinois’ U.S. Senate race, a new Public Policy Polling survey shows Mark Kirk (R) leading Alexi Giannoulias (D), 46% to 42%. The report also noted, “The presence of the third party candidates in the race seems to really be hurting Giannoulias.”
* In Kentucky’s U.S. Senate race, a new survey from Public Policy Polling shows that race slipping away from Dems, too. PPP now has Rand Paul (R) leading Jack Conway (D) by 15 points, 55% to 40%.
* Ohio’s gubernatorial race appears to be tightening significantly as the contest nears its end. PPP shows John Kasich (R) leading incumbent Gov. Ted Strickland (D) by one point, 49% to 48%; a Columbus Dispatch poll shows Kasich up by two, 49% to 47%; and Quinnipiac shows Kasich ahead by one point, 47% to 46%.
* In Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate race, Pat Toomey (R) leads Joe Sestak (D) in all the new polling, but by varying margins. PPP has Toomey up by five (51% to 46%); a Susquehanna Polling & Research poll has Toomey ahead by two (46% to 44%); the Morning Call/Muhlenberg tracking poll has Toomey by two (48% to 44%); McClatchy/Marist has Toomey winning by seven (52% to 45%); and Quinnipiac shows Toomey up by five (50% to 45%).
* In Colorado’s U.S. Senate race, the latest McClatchy/Marist shows Ken Buck (R) leading Sen. Michael Bennet (D), 49% to 45%, though PPP shows Buck with a smaller lead, 49% to 48%.
* In Alaska’s U.S. Senate race, a new Public Policy Polling survey shows Joe Miller (R) as exceedingly unpopular, but winning anyway with 37% support. Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Scott McAdams (D) are tied in the poll with 30% each.
* In Wisconsin’s U.S. Senate race, the latest McClatchy/Marist poll shows Rob Johnson (R) mainlining his lead over Sen. Russ Feingold (D), 52% to 45%.
* In California, a new Public Policy Polling survey shows Jerry Brown (D) leading the gubernatorial race by five points, and Sen. Barbara Boxer (D) leading the U.S. Senate race by four points.
* In Florida’s U.S. Senate race, Marco Rubio (R) appears to be cruising to an easy win. Mason-Dixon shows him with a 17-point lead over Gov. Charlie Crist (I), while Quinnipiac shows Rubio leading by 14 points. Florida’s gubernatorial race, meanwhile, remains one of the closest contests in the country.
* In West Virginia’s U.S. Senate race, a new Public Policy Polling survey shows Gov. Joe Manchin (D) up by five over John Raese (R), 51% to 46%.
* And in Connecticut, a new Quinnipiac poll shows Richard Blumenthal (D) up by nine in the U.S. Senate race, while PPP shows Tom Foley (R) edging past Dan Malloy (D) in the gubernatorial race, 49% to 47%.
