Discover GOP Opprobrium

[teapeebubbles]

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:

* Republican fundraisers are reportedly running away from Newt Gingrich’s presidential campaign, in the wake of several self-destructive disasters. There were, for example, 18 co-chairs for an upcoming Gingrich event in the South, but 13 bailed against his “Meet the Press” interview.

* Afraid that the special election in New York’s 26th is slipping away, Republican Jane Corwin is now running robocalls in the district, featuring a message from right-wing Rep. Allen West (R) of Florida. In the calls, West calls Corwin “the only endorsed Tea Party candidate.”

* In Ohio, a new Quinnipiac poll shows Sen. Sherrod Brown (D) looking fairly strong in advance of his re-election campaign next year. He enjoys sizable leads over his likely GOP challengers, with margins ranging from 9 points (vs. Ken Blackwell) to 16 points (vs. Kevin Coughlin). Brown does not, however, break the 50% threshold in any of the hypothetical match-ups.

* Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson (R) has not yet formally launched his U.S. Senate bid, but the right-wing Club for Growth is already trashing his campaign.

* Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D) finally has a Republican challenger in Minnesota, with former state Rep. Dan Severson launching a campaign this week. Severson ran unsuccessfully for Minnesota Secretary of State in 2010.

* For whatever reason, former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton, currently a Fox News personality, has scheduled his first trip to New Hampshire, as part of his apparent interest in a presidential campaign.

* In New Jersey, a new Monmouth University/NJ Press Media poll shows Gov. Chris Christie’s (R) approval rating slipping a little further, and a plurality (49%) now disapprove of his job performance.

* And just two years ago, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels (R) explained, “I wouldn’t subject myself or my family to what I see as the savagery of presidential politics.” Apparently, he’s poised to do the opposite.