The poll, to be released today by the Atlanta-based firm Strategic Vision, indicates that 50 percent of voters back Casey, compared to 40 percent for Santorum.
“While Senator Santorum continues to trail Casey, what is significant in this month’s poll is that Casey stayed stagnant while Santorum slightly increased his support,” Strategic Vision CEO David Johnson said. “This could mean that Casey reached his maximum strength months ago and now we might see the race shift slightly in a possible replay of the Casey and [Ed] Rendell [gubernatorial] primary in 2002.”
— Peter Savodnik
Utah
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will not endorse any of the Republican candidates for president in 2008, including Mormon Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the church said yesterday.
But it hasn’t ruled out advising the candidates on moral issues.
“The normal channels of government are open to the church and anyone else to make representations of opinion when appropriate,” church spokesman Michael Otterson said from the church’s Salt Lake City headquarters.
Otterson downplayed the increased scrutiny the church might come under should Romney decide to run. Mormons have been criticized for polygamy, which the religion long ago disavowed, and for being perceived by many other Christians as a cult.
“We are neither alarmed nor encouraged by that prospect,” Otterson said of any increased national media attention. “We would simply deal with it.”
Romney last month visited supporters in Utah.
"Governor Romney's respect for American values flows from the faith he has,” said Romney spokeswoman Julie Teer. “The people of Massachusetts understand this and know who Mitt Romney is, which is why they elected him governor."
— Carrie Sheffield
New Jersey
Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) yesterday endorsed Sen. Bob Menendez’s Senate bid, in yet another sign that state Democrats have coalesced around the newly appointed senator.
Gov. Jon Corzine (D) appointed Menendez to fill the Senate seat after vacating it to take office this month. Corzine was elected governor in November.
Pallone and other Democratic members of New Jersey’s congressional delegation had signaled interest in the Corzine seat but have rallied behind Menendez.
The Democrat faces Republican state Sen. Tom Kean, the son of former Gov. Tom Kean.
— Peter Savodnik
Arizona
Republican Randy Graf received the endorsement of nearly half of Arizona state lawmakers last week, making him the early front-runner in the contest to replace outgoing Rep. Jim Kolbe (R-Ariz.).
While two other Republicans also are running, neither has so far secured party support to match Graf. Party leaders expect more candidates will enter the race, but Graf’s camp is confident he will win the Republican nomination.
“We will win the primary,” said Steve Aiken, a spokesman for Graf.
He added that Graf would be visiting Washington in the coming weeks to meet the Republican National Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee.
“We have been certainly encouraged by them,” Aiken said.
Graf lost to Kolbe in 2003 and campaigned largely on the issue of border security. Aiken said that while border security is still an extremely important issue to Graf, he has shifted his focus to controlling federal spending and “getting back to basics.”
Ex-TV news anchor Patty Weiss and ex-state Sen. Gabrielle Giffords have been cited as the chief contenders for Democratic nomination.
— Jackie Kucinich
New York
A former senior aide to Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) who moved back to his native Syracuse last year and is challenging Rep. James Walsh (R-N.Y.) is touting his fundraising numbers from the last quarter.
The challenger, Dan Maffei, raised $100,000 since forming his campaign in mid-November. He faces lawyer Paloma Capanna and retired teacher Ken Howland in the Democratic primary.
Although political observers believe unseating Walsh will be difficult, Maffei, in a telephone interview with The Hill, argued that Syracuse voters might warm to a viable challenger.
Walsh faced no Democratic challenger in 2004 and won with 90 percent of the vote.
“Because he has not been challenged in a real sense in 10 years, the perception up here is Walsh is a moderate when that’s not the case. He votes 93 percent of the time with Republican leadership,” Maffei said.
— Josephine Hearn
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