Campaign update: Toomey takes lead, more GOP challengers

A Siena College poll is coming out this morning on the New York special election, and Republican Dede Scozzafava’s campaign is lowering expectations, pointing out that it hasn’t run TV ads yet. Release set for 9:30 a.m.

Quinnipiac is out with a new poll on the Pennsylvania Senate race, and it shows former Rep. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) taking a one-point lead on Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.). Toomey has in recent months closed the gap fast, but this is the first non-Rasmussen poll showing him leading Specter in the general election (primary polling when Specter was still a Republican had Toomey way ahead). Specter has a 44-25 lead over primary challenger Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Pa.), and Sestak trails Toomey 38-35 in a general election matchup.

Oregon state Rep. Scott Bruun (R) gives the NRCC a recruit against Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.).

More recruits in Pa.: A pair of Republicans step forward to face Pennsylvania Democrats Patrick Murphy and Jason Altmire.

Hawaii state Senate Majority Leader Colleen Hanabusa (D) will challenge former Rep. Ed Case (D-Hawaii) in the primary for Rep. Neil Abercrombie's (D-Hawaii) seat. Abercrombie is running for governor, and Honolulu City Councilman Charles Djou is running on the GOP side for his seat.

Check out my story today on the GOP proxy war that’s materializing in Rep. Bill Foster’s (D-Ill.) district.

Beau Biden returns from Iraq, but isn’t tipping his hand on running for his dad’s old Senate seat.

Joe Biden will raise money for Rep. Paul Hodes’s (D-N.H.) Senate campaign next week.

2012 tea leaves: Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) is consulting with Michael Toner.

New York Gov. David Paterson (D) calls out Rudy Giuliani on their potential 2010 matchup. 

New York GOP Chairman Ed Cox, who had told the New York Times that he wanted Giuliani to run for Senate rather than governor, now says either would be just fine.

An ambiguous campaign speech from New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo. What’s he running for?

California Attorney General and former Gov. Jerry Brown (D) is getting closer to making his gubernatorial campaign official.

Mitt Romney will back new Utah Gov. Gary Herbert (R) in the 2010 governor’s race, where he faces a primary challenger.

Rand Paul’s campaign reports that it had a million-dollar quarter in Kentucky’s Senate race.