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:
* Late Friday afternoon, Tim Pawlenty’s Republican presidential campaign announced it had raised a disappointing $4.2 million in the second quarter. This will not reassure GOP establishment types who worry whether Pawlenty will have the resources to compete.
* Herman Cain’s Republican presidential campaign appears to be in turmoil, at least as far as his staff is concerned. Just a few days after his top aides in New England resigned in frustration, Cain’s Iowa director and straw poll coordinator have also resigned.
* The National Education Association, the nation’s largest union, voted Monday to endorse President Obama’s re-election bid in 2012.
* We’re still weeks away from Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s (R) 2012 decision, but in the meantime, “Americans for Rick Perry” appears to be increasingly active in Iowa.
* With former Rep. Anthony Weiner (D) out of Congress, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) has announced that the special election to fill the 9th district vacancy will be Sept. 13.
* North Carolina’s GOP-dominated state legislature has gone to extraordinary lengths to redraw congressional-district lines in Republicans’ favor. National Journal sees the new map, which will no doubt face legal challenges, as a “bloodbath” for North Carolina Democrats.
* Though it would appear Virginia’s U.S. Senate race is pretty much set — former Gov. Tim Kaine (D) will face former Sen. George Allen (R) — Rep. Bobby Scott still hasn’t ruled out facing off against Kaine in a Democratic primary.
* At least for now, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ (D-Ariz.) astronaut husband, Mark Kelly, has ruled out seeking elected office. “She’s the politician in the family, I’m the space guy,” Mark Kelly said in remarks at the National Press Club. “And I see no reason to change that now.”
* Remember Klansman David Duke? He’s apparently thinking about seeking the Republican presidential nomination.
