CA-Sen: Barack Obama will attend a joint fundraiser for the DNC and Barbara Boxer's re-election campaign in April. More details on the event are not yet available, but I'm guessing it won't take place on a blimp.
KY-Sen: Mmm, I could eat cat fud for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The Politico has a new piece on the increasing panic among Kentucky and DC establishment Republicans over the possibility that Rand Paul may win the Senate primary against Mitch McConnell's protege Trey Grayson. Dick Cheney's inner circle is apparently sounding the alarm bells in private emails to neo-con leaders, warning that "Rand Paul is NOT one of us". It's funny, because that's exactly why he's winning!
PA-Gov: Democrat Dan Onorato has abruptly reversed course on his challenge to Joe Hoeffel's ballot signatures. Onorato's stated reasons for pulling the plug on the challenge can only be described as oblique.
CO-04: State GOP Rep. Cory Gardner got a double-dose of good news this week. Not only did he convincingly win the GOP precinct caucuses on Tuesday night, but his teabaggish primary challenger, ex-Ft. Collins Councilor Diggs Brown, dropped out of the race and endorsed him.
MI-01: The National Organization for Women says that it will mobilize its Michigan chapters to support Dem Rep. Bart Stupak's primary challenger, Charlevoix County Commissioner Connie Saltonstall. NOW President Terry O'Neill says that defeating Stupak will be her organization's "highest priority".
NY-29: The 29th District's eight county Democratic chairs plan to meet on either March 27 or 29 to interview at least six potential candidates who are interested in running in the still-to-be-scheduled special election to replace disgraced ex-Rep. Eric Massa. If they follow the same script used last year in the special election to replace Kirsten Gillibrand, the final selection should come almost immediately after the interview process.
PA-12: I don't know what it is about this district that has attracted so many fly by night pollsters in recent years, but a new automated polling group, We Ask America, has emerged to cough up a survey showing Democrat Mark Critz ahead of Republican Tim Burns by a 39-35 margin. UPDATE: We Ask America COO Gregg Durham writes in:
While our polling operation is only entering its 5th year, the principals of our firm have each been involved in political polling for nearly three decades. Since our founding, We Ask America has been conducting private polls for clients ranging from gubernatorial, congressional and state-level candidates, as well as large national trade associations and private businesses. We call an average of four million household a year through the U.S. In addition, we also perform many live interview polls as well.
The decision to enter the public-polling arena was made only after we experienced a great deal of success privately. We fully understand that taking a more public stance will require time and quality work to earn a reputation as a reliable voice in the public polling industry.
PA-15: Joe Biden is planning on sharing some of his own Joementum on the campaign trail soon, with an upcoming event planned for Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan.
Primaries: After record low turnout in the state's most recent round of primary elections (not to mention the Scott Lee Cohen debacle), Illinois lawmakers have moved the state's primary back to the third week of March.
Passings: It is with great sadness that we mourn the loss of rock legend Alex Chilton, whose fractured style of pop will forever remain the soundtrack of SSP.
