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:
* A new national Quinnipiac poll shows Rick Perry leading the Republican presidential field, topping Mitt Romney by six points. Whether Sarah Palin is included in the mix affects levels of support, but in either scenario, Perry’s lead is the same. It’s the fourth major poll to be released showing the Texas governor as the frontrunner.
* With Romney reversing course, Sen. Jim DeMint’s (R) Labor Day cattle call in South Carolina will feature Romney, Perry, Michele Bachmann, Ron Paul, Herman Cain, and Newt Gingrich. They’ll each appear on the stage, one at a time.
* With Romney now participating in a Tea Party Express rally in New Hampshire next week, Dick Armey’s FreedomWorks has decided to pull its co-sponsorship of the event. FreedomWorks, a right-wing lobbying organization, has made no secret of its opposition to Romney’s campaign.
* The Florida Republican Party had hoped to make a lot of money through its Presidency 5 straw poll, scheduled for Sept. 24 in Orlando. This year, however, it appears to be a bust — only Cain, Paul, and Jon Huntsman are committed to participate.
* With only about two months remaining in Kentucky’s gubernatorial race, Public Policy Polling shows incumbent Gov. Steve Beshear (D) cruising to a second term, leading David Williams (R) by 27 points, 55% to 28%.
* It’s a little early to be thinking about the 2016 cycle, but Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) said yesterday he doesn’t plan to run for a third term. He just won a second term last November.
* And finally, take this with a big grain of salt, but American University professor Allan Lichtman has an election formula that’s been effective in accurately calling each of the last seven presidential races. As Lichtman sees it, “Even if I am being conservative, I don’t see how Obama can lose.”
