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:
* President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will hold two big campaign rallies next week — one in Columbus, Ohio, and the other in Richmond, Va. — as part of the official kick off of the president’s re-election campaign.
* In national polling, a National Journal poll shows Obama leading Mitt Romney by eight points (47% to 39%); a DailyKos/SEIU poll shows Obama up by three (49% to 44%); and a Fox News poll shows the candidates tied at 46% each.
* In Arizona, a Rocky Mountain Poll shows Obama edging past Romney, 42% to 40%. There’s increasing evidence that Arizona will be a key battleground state in 2012, despite traditionally being a “red” state.
* On the flipside, while New Mexico has been competitive in recent cycles, it looks likely to stay “blue” in 2012. A new survey from Public Policy Polling shows Obama leading Romney in the state by 14 points, 54% to 40%.








