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:
* In New Jersey’s gubernatorial race, with time running out, a new Quinnipiac poll shows Gov. Chris Christie (R) cruising to a landslide victory, leading Barbara Buono (D) by 29 points among likely voters, 62% to 33%.
* In Virginia’s more competitive gubernatorial contest, frontrunner Terry McAuliffe (D) unveiled a tough new ad this morning, hitting Ken Cuccinelli (R) for his culture-war agenda. The spot features voters calling the far-right state Attorney General “way too extreme for Virginia.”
* On a related note, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will campaign with McAuliffe this weekend. It will be her first campaign event since leaving the Obama administration in February.
* In September, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee expanded its financial advantage over the National Republican Senatorial Committee, raising $4.6 million to the NRSC’s $3.4 million. Dems have won this fundraising race eight of the last nine months.
* In Mississippi, six-term Sen. Thad Cochran (R) will apparently face a primary challenge from state Sen. Chris McDaniel (R). Cochran is no moderate, but local Tea Partiers have complained he’s not quite reactionary enough.
* In Alaska, state Natural Resources Commissioner Dan Sullivan (R) is jumping into next year’s U.S. Senate race. He’ll face Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell and far-right activist Joe Miller in a Republican primary, with the winner facing Sen. Mark Begich (D) in the general election.
* And Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, is reportedly considering a congressional campaign in Louisiana’s open 6th district (thanks to reader R.B. for the tip).
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."