TUESDAY’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:
* A huge mess for the senior senator from Missouri: “Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo) said Monday she will sell her private plane and pay back $287,273 in four years of back taxes, the latest chapter in a politically embarrassing saga for the moderate Democrat facing a tough reelection battle in 2012.”
* Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour (R) keeps up a busy travel schedule in advance of his upcoming presidential campaign, but he’s asking taxpayers to pick up the tab for his excursions. Of particular interest was more than $300,000 in out-of-state travel expenses for the governor’s bodyguards, also paid for with public funds.
* The DCCC is launching an ad campaign today, targeting 10 House Republicans for supporting cuts to Social Security and Medicare. The target list includes Reps. Paul Gosar (Ariz.), Bill Young (Fla.), Allen West (Fla.), Dan Benishek (Mich.), Joe Heck (Nev.), Lou Barletta (Pa.), Blake Farenthold (Texas), Paul Ryan (Wis.), Sean Duffy (Wis.), and David McKinley (W.Va.).
* Nevada’s Sharron Angle (R) is running for Congress, and this time she’s prepared to actually talk to reporters. During her failed Senate bid last year, Angle routinely ran away from journalists’ questions.
* In Indiana, Jackie Walorski (R) narrowly lost to Rep. Joe Donnelly (D) last year, and she’s now gearing up for a rematch. However, with the legislature poised to make the district far more GOP friendly, Donnelly is considering running for governor or the U.S. Senate.
* Don’t be surprised if Rep. Jay Inslee (D) gives up his House seat next year to run for governor in the state of Washington. Inslee’s hints about his intentions are becoming increasingly direct.
* West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel (D) announced this week she’ll take on Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) in 2012. Fort Lauderdale businessman Patrick Murphy (D) is also running, setting up a potentially-costly primary.
* And as silly as this sounds, Sen. Rand Paul (R) of Kentucky was in South Carolina yesterday, apparently to talk about a “possible presidential bid.” He doesn’t seem especially serious about this, saying he’s only making trips to early primary states because he wants “the tea party to have an influence over who the nominee is in 2012.” What an odd man.
