THURSDAY’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:
* Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) is trying to gut measures approved by voters last year, requiring nonpartisan, post-Census redistricting. This is what happens when criminals are elected to run states.
* Texas Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams formally launched his Senate campaign this morning, hoping to succeed Kay Bailey Hutchison (R) who is retiring at the end of her term next year. He’ll be part of a very crowded primary.
* Things didn’t go too well for Mitt Romney in Iowa three years ago, and in the upcoming presidential race, the former moderate-turned-conservative governor might just skip the first caucuses altogether.
* Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), arguably the Senate’s most right-wing member, insisted yesterday that he’s not interested in running for president. He then boarded a plane bound for Iowa.
* In case it wasn’t obvious enough before, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour (R) conceded yesterday that he’s “seriously thinking” about running for president. You don’t say.
* With Rep. Chris Murphy (D) running for the Senate in Connecticut, the race to replace him in the 5th district is starting to take shape. Three Republicans, including the former State Sen. Sam Caligiuri who lost last year, are poised to enter the race.
* Any chance former Rep. Jim Oberstar (D-Minn.), who suffered an unexpected defeat in 2010, might seek a rematch in 2012? Apparently not.
* Remember Sharron Angle? The failed, cringe-worthy Senate candidate in Nevada last year? She was in Iowa yesterday, and hedged about whether she might run for president of the United States: “I’ll just say I have lots of options for the future, and I’m investigating all my options.” Whatever you say, Sharron.
