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:
* It’s not quite a concession, but Alaska’s Joe Miller (R) announced last night he will not oppose certification of Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s (R) write-in re-election win. Miller will, however, take his pointless fight to the federal courts, after striking out in state courts.
* Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels (R), who hasn’t gone out of his way to hide his presidential ambitions, explained over the weekend that his 2012 plans will depend on “who the field is” and “their depth of conviction and specificity of prescription” in addressing the national debt. That would be the same national debt, of course, that got much worse after Daniels became George W. Bush’s budget director.
* While Daniels moves closer to a presidential campaign, Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) is moving in the other direction. Pressed on his national plans the other day, the governor described himself as “a definite no.”
* There was isolated talk a couple of weeks ago about Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) challenging President Obama in 2012 from the left. Over the weekend, the senator insisted it “ain’t gonna” happen.
* Late last week, the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners ruled that Rahm Emanuel (D) is eligible to run for mayor. His opponents will now take their case challenging Emanuel’s residency to the Cook County Circuit Court.
* Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) was just re-elected last month by a very wide margin, but he has no plans on seeking another term in six years. On Fox News yesterday, the right-wing senator said of his 2016 plans, “No way, no how. I will be through at the end of this term.”
