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:
* It may seem hard to believe, but a new CNN poll shows Republicans leading Democrats by five points on the generic congressional ballot, 49% to 44%. Two months ago, Democrats led by eight.
* The Koch brothers’ Americans for Prosperity has launched ridiculously misleading attack ads targeting Reps. Richard Nolan (D-Minn.) and Ann McLane Kuster (D-N.H.). All told, the right-wing group spent about $16 million this year to complain about access to affordable health care.
* In South Dakota, former Sen. Larry Pressler (R), now 71 years old, is gearing up to run as an independent for his old seat. Pressler, a life-long Republican, is currently spending time explaining why he endorsed President Obama in 2008 and 2012, despite Obama’s unpopularity in the state.
* In the month of November, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee outraised its Republican counterpart by about $1 million, despite the fact that Dems are in the House minority.
* On a related note, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee also outraised its Republican counterpart in November, $5.1 million to $3.2 million.
* Rep. Ralph Hall (R-Texas), who turned 90 earlier this year, announced he’s running for re-election next year, and if re-elected, will retire in 2016. Hall currently has five Republican primary challengers.
* And in Virginia, former Rep. Artur Davis, who recently switched from the Democratic to the Republican Party, said this week he will not run for retiring Rep. Frank Wolf’s (R) seat next year.
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."