Today’s installment of campaign-related news items that won’t necessarily generate a post of their own, but may be of interest to political observers:
* Mitt Romney may be the Republican frontrunner, and may even be leading in Iowa polls, but he’s not going to bother with this year’s Iowa Straw Poll in August. In 2007, Romney spent heavily to win the Ames straw poll, but still came in second in the caucuses.
* A new Marist poll in Rep. Anthony Weiner’s (D) New York district shows that a 56% majority of the congressman’s constituents want him to remain in office. Whether they intend to vote for him again or not is a separate issue.
* Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s (R) interest in a possible presidential campaign appears to have entered the trial-balloon phase, with lots of people close to the governor whispering to reporters about his willingness to get in the race.
* If Romney wins the GOP nomination, he shouldn’t expect to compete in his home state of Massachusetts. A new survey from Public Policy Polling shows President Obama leading Romney in the Bay state by 20 points. Other GOP candidates fared even worse.
* The first presidential candidate of the 2012 cycle to purchase paid advertising is … Rick Santorum. The former senator is launching a radio spot in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina, as well as satellite radio.
* In one of two gubernatorial races this year, Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear (D) appears to be on track to easily win a second term. A new statewide poll shows him leading Senate President David Williams (R) by a whopping 21 points.
* Speaking of Kentucky, Rep. Ben Chandler (D) narrowly defeated Andy Barr (R) last year, and the Republican has decided to pursue a rematch.
* In Missouri, Republicans are convinced their gubernatorial frontrunner, Peter Kinder, can’t win in 2012, but they’re not sure what to do about it.
