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:
* With Wisconsin’s state Senate recall elections coming up, the Koch-financed Americans for Prosperity is sending absentee ballots to Democrats with instructions to return the materials after the election date. Aren’t election stunts like these illegal?
* With Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) making a surprise appearance on the House floor last night, speculation soon after turned to her possible re-election plans. This morning, the congresswoman’s staff insisted that “no decision has been made” about 2012.
* It’s primary day in Mississippi, where Republicans will choose from a crowded field to choose a GOP gubernatorial nominee. Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant is considered the favorite.
* Also in Mississippi, it’s worth noting that Democrats failed to get a single candidate to run for lieutenant governor, secretary of state, or auditor.
* Jim Lee, the co-chair of Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s (R) 2010 gubernatorial campaign said Perry is “poised to enter” the presidential race “in the coming weeks.”
* Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney may be the frontrunner, but he’s going out of his way to keep a very low profile and avoid making headlines. Ben Smith said the former governor appears to be in the “Mittness Protection Program.”
* In Pennsylvania, a new Quinnipiac poll shows President Obama’s support in the state slipping badly, and he now narrowly trails Romney in a hypothetical match-up, 44% to 42%.
* In Vermont, a new survey from Public Policy Polling shows Sen. Bernie Sanders (I) crushing any potential rival in advance of his re-election bid next year. His most likely challenger, state Auditor Tom Salmon (R), trails Sanders by 34 points.
* And GOP presidential hopeful Jon Huntsman broached an awkward subject yesterday, suggesting rival Michele Bachmann’s appearance is helping drive media coverage. “She makes for good copy–and good photography,” Huntsman told John Heilemann.
