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:
* Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) said over the weekend that the likely GOP presidential field may not be good enough to capture voters’ excitement. “I think you might see a whole new cast of Republican candidates out within the next couple of months,” he said. DeMint wasn’t specific about this “new cast,” but suggested New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) as a possibility.
* Sen. Chuck Grassley (R) of Iowa said “only two or three” of the candidates in the prospective Republican presidential field are actually qualified to be president. He wouldn’t say which ones.
* Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R), a week after launching his presidential exploratory committee, is now unveiling his fundraising team.
* As Virginia Democrats wait to see if Tim Kaine will run for the Senate, Rep. Bobby Scott (D) is talking about running, too, setting up a difficult, costly, and potentially divisive primary.
* Nearly six months after narrowly losing his reelection bid, former Rep. Dan Maffei (D) of New York is “strongly considering” a comeback in 2012. He presumably would seek a rematch against Republican Ann Marie Buerkle.
* Former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, perhaps best known as the leading Republican advocate of marijuana legalization, will apparently launch a presidential campaign next month.
* In case it seemed the freak-show qualities of the GOP field couldn’t get worse, also note that disgraced former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore, kicked off the bench for refusing to acknowledge federal law, is also interested in launching a presidential exploratory committee. (thanks to H.S. for the tip)
* Remember Ian Murphy, the guy who pretended to be a Koch brother while pulling a prank on Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R)? It appears Murphy now wants to be a Green Party congressional candidate in New York’s 26th congressional district.
