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:
* Despite the talk of lowering expectations, Mitt Romney’s Super PAC is launching a massive $3.1 million ad buy in Iowa. If Romney loses Iowa now, it looks even worse.
* Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann both dropped out of the upcoming NewsMax debate, to be moderated by Donald Trump.
* With only Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum agreeing to participate, Trump himself acknowledged this morning that the debate may be scrapped.
* In a new national Fox News poll, Gingrich leads the GOP field with 36% support, followed by Romney with 23%. No other candidate comes close.
* Struggling badly in a state where he hoped to win, Rick Perry will soon launch a two-week, 42-city bus tour of Iowa. He’s also making increasingly-aggressive ad buys.
* Speaking of Perry advertising, this week’s anti-gay culture-war ad was so out there, his lead pollster, Tony Fabrizio, objected to it and called it “nuts.”
* In perhaps the best news of the year for the Santorum campaign, the former senator will pick up Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz’s (R) endorsement today.
* At the national level, the Republicans’ “enthusiasm gap” advantage appears to be shrinking.
* In the latest Public Poling Polling Surveys, President Obama leads Romney and Gingrich in Colorado, while in North Carolina, Obama leads Gingrich and is tied with Romney.
* After hinting at a variety of options, unhinged Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Ill.) will seek a second term, running in Illinois’ redrawn 8th district, which is more Democratic-friendly than it was the last cycle.
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