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:
* There was some talk DNC Chairman and former Gov. Tim Kaine would announce his Senate plans at at the Virginia Democratic Party’s Jefferson-Jackson dinner Saturday, but that’s not going to happen. Kaine said it’ll be a couple of weeks before he makes a formal decision.
* As of yesterday, it looks like Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano appeared disinclined to run for the Senate in her home state of Arizona.
* For the second consecutive presidential cycle, Florida is causing headaches for major party nominating plans. Florida intends to hold its primary in late January; the Republican Party wants it moved to March. Neither side is budging.
* Former Rep. Chris Carney (D) appears to be looking for a rematch against freshman Rep. Tom Marino (R) in their Pennsylvania district. Carney met with DCCC officials about the race last week.
* The DCCC will not, however, get the rematch it wants in South Dakota. Former Rep. Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin (D), who lost last year, maintains strong poll numbers, but will apparently join a D.C. lobbying firm, rather than seeking a return to Congress.
* The Democratic primary in the special election for former Rep. Jane Harman’s (D-Calif.) seat features a sizable field, but the winner won’t run unopposed — attorney Mike Webb announced yesterday he’s running as a Republican.
* Former half-term Gov. Sarah Palin told a New York audience yesterday she’s still weighing a possible presidential campaign. “I am still thinking of leading this country,” she said. “I am still thinking about it. I haven’t made up my mind.”
* And Nate Silver ran an interesting analysis of the likely 2012 GOP presidential field this week. He found, “The early evidence … suggests that this year’s Republican field may in fact be quite weak by the standards of recent election cycles.”
