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:
* Ashley Judd may have decided to skip the 2014 Senate race in Kentucky, but the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is still gearing up to take on Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R). The DSCC is launching its first ad campaign of the cycle today, starting with this 60-second radio ad that will air statewide.
* On a related note, with Judd no longer considering the race, Democrats are now eagerly eyeing Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes.
* Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is reportedly forming a new political group that will focus its energies on education reform, immigration, and scientific research.
* A Public Policy Polling survey in South Dakota, conducted before Sen. Tim Johnson (D) announced his retirement, found former Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D) looking quite competitive against the leading Republican candidates, including a narrow one-point advantage over Rep. Kristi Noem (R) who may get into the race.
* Virginia Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli (R) likes to equate his far-right vision with the abolitionist movement, and the local NAACP would like him to stop.
* Boston's popular five-term mayor, Thomas Menino (D), has decided not to seek re-election. Menino first took office in July 1993.
* And in West Virginia, it's not yet clear who the Democratic frontrunner will be in the race to replace retaining Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D), but the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has talked to attorney Nick Preservati, described as a "wealthy, pro-coal, pro-business Democrat in the style of Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V."
