FRIDAY’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 the still-unresolved U.S. Senate race in Alaska, a state judge will decide today “whether to grant the state’s request to dismiss [Joe] Miller’s lawsuit or grant Miller’s request to strictly enforce election law.” If Miller loses, he’ll likely appeal, dragging the process out even further.
* It’s long been assumed that Virginia Republicans would rally behind former Sen. George Allen (R), assuming he seeks a comeback in 2012 by running for his old seat. But Virginia Delegate Bob Marshall (R) apparently intends to run in the primary, and he took a few rhetorical shots at Allen yesterday, slamming the former senator for, among other things, having voted to increase the debt limit. For Marshall, the far-right Allen is too liberal for “people in the Tea Party and other conservatives.”
* Appointed Sen. George LeMieux (R-Fla.), whose brief tenure is nearly over, has made no secret of his intention to run for his own term in 2012, but said this week he’d skip the race if “there’s somebody who would do as equal or better job than me” who runs. He was apparently referring to former Gov. Jeb Bush (R).
* Speaking of the 2012 Senate race in Florida, if LeMieux runs, he’ll face a crowded GOP primary. Rep. Connie Mack and state Sen. Mike Haridopolos have already expressed interest, and yesterday, former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner moved closer to a bid of his own.
* Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D) will seek a second term in Rhode Island in 2012, but it appears he’ll have a high-profile challenger: outgoing Gov. Donald Carcieri (R) is apparently interested in running.
* Republicans do not yet have a major challenger lined up to take on Sen. Bob Casey (D) in Pennsylvania in 2012, but party leaders are reportedly wooing state Sen. Kim Ward (R).
* In North Carolina, Public Policy Polling finds that Gov. Bev Perdue (D) would stand a better chance at winning re-election in 2012 if she makes gains with the Democratic base: “The folks who are willing to vote for Obama but not her are disproportionately Democratic, female, black, and liberal compared to the state as a whole.”
* And former Sen. Rick Santorum’s (R-Pa.) presidential ambitions are still running strong. The Fox News personality will be making his eighth trip to Iowa next week.
