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 took about a month longer than it should have, but Joe Miller (R) finally gave up in Alaska late on Friday. While he conceded, Miller noticeably did not congratulate Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R), who defeated him with a write-in bid.
* Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele, hoping to get a second two-year term, appears to be in deep trouble. Politico reports today that “a majority of the RNC’s 168 members indicate that they will not support the controversial chairman for another term.”
* In the meantime, the field of Steele’s challengers has narrowed a bit, from five hopefuls to four — Gentry Collins ended his bid yesterday.
* There’s apparently far less drama at the Democratic National Committee — DNC Chair Tim Kaine suggested on CNN yesterday that he’s staying on in his current post.
* Whether West Virginia hosts its gubernatorial campaign this year or next, former Secretary of State Betty Ireland (R) announced late last week that she’s running either way.
* With Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour (R) stepping down next year after two terms, his lieutenant governor, Phil Bryant (R), is expected to launch his own campaign today.
* Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.) ended his mayoral campaign late last week, throwing his support to former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun (D).
* U.S. Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman, one of several Republicans chosen for key posts in the Obama administration, hasn’t ruled out running for president in 2012. How he’d convince Republican primary voters to nominate an Obama administration official is unclear.
