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:
* As expected, with Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) stepping down at the end of his term, state Attorney General Greg Abbott (R) kicked off his campaign over the weekend. Though he’s likely to face primary challengers, Abbott is considered the early favorite for the GOP nod.
* Speaking of Texas, state Sen. Wendy Davis (D) raised $933,000 in just the last two weeks of June, which is an extraordinary sum for anyone, especially an official who has not yet launched a statewide campaign.
* In still more news out of the Lone Star State, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has scheduled summer visits to New Hampshire and Iowa, fueling speculation about possible national ambitions.
* In Iowa, Public Policy Polling shows Rep. Bruce Braley (D) with double-digit leads over all of his likely opponents in next year’s open U.S. Senate race in the Hawkeye State.
* On a related note, the same PPP poll found Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad’s (R) approval rating slipping to just 45%. In a hypothetical rematch against former Gov. Chet Culver (D), Branstad leads by five, 47% to 42%. * Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) traveled to Nevada late last week for some fundraising, and had agreed to be interviewed by Jon Ralston. Less than 24 hours before the appearance, Paul canceled, claiming a “meeting” came up. * Organizing for Action, an outgrowth of President Obama’s campaign organization, has reportedly struggled financially, but nevertheless announced on Friday that it nearly doubled its fundraising haul from the first to the second quarter — it brought in $8.2 million between April and June, compared to $4.8 million from January through March. * And to the disappointment of the DCCC, Brendan Mullen announced on Friday that he will not seek a rematch against Rep. Jackie Walorski (R) in Indiana. Mullen came up short in 2012, losing by just one point, and was under pressure to give it another try.
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