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:
* It’s not quite a Gingrich-style exodus, but Herman Cain lost some key campaign aides yesterday when they resigned in frustration. The Republican presidential hopeful lost his campaign director in New Hampshire, and his regional field director. (thanks to K.M. for the tip)
* Wisconsin Democrats caught another break in the upcoming recall elections, with one of the targeted state Senate Dems losing his toughest GOP challenger.
* Speaking of Wisconsin, it looks like former Gov. Tommy Thompson (R) is moving closer to launching a Senate campaign, hiring two new fundraisers.
* The House Majority PAC, a Democratic Super PAC, is launching a six-figure ad campaign this week, targeting eight House Republicans on budget issues.
* New surveys from Public Policy Polling show Michele Bachmann as the leading Republican presidential candidate in Oregon and Montana. In both cases, she enjoys very narrow leads over Mitt Romney.
* As expected, Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.) announced her retirement yesterday, and she will step down next year at the end of her 10th term.
* For now, despite budget issues, it appears South Carolina’s Republican presidential primary will not be scrapped next year.
* For reasons that are only clear to him, Rudy Giuliani will be in New Hampshire in two weeks, perhaps to help lay the groundwork for another misguided presidential campaign.
* The GOP’s Senate primary in Nebraska is getting awfully crowded, with state Sen. Deb Fischer becoming the fifth Republican in the race. The winner will take on Sen. Ben Nelson (D) next year.
* In Ohio, former Secretary of State Ken Blackwell (R) has announced he will not run for the Senate in 2012, making matters a little easier for state Treasurer Josh Mandel’s campaign.
