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:
* Arkansas Sen. Mark Pryor (D) released this new television ad overnight, responding to criticism from Mayors Against Illegal Guns. Note how the vulnerable, red-state incumbent tries to put some distance between himself and President Obama.
* With Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) retiring, her Democratic opponent, Jim Graves, has decided to quit, too.
* In Massachusetts' U.S. Senate special election, Republican candidate Gabriel Gomez has been asked for weeks for his position on the anti-contraception Blunt Amendment, and again yesterday, he refused to state an opinion.
* Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) is generally considered one of the key Republican targets in 2014, but Republicans have struggled to recruit a top-tier challenger. That changed yesterday when North Carolina state House Speaker Thom Tillis (R) said he intends to run.
* Colorado Republicans will have quite a gubernatorial primary next year: former Rep. Tom Tancredo, best known for hating immigrants, and Secretary of State Scott Gessler, best known for supporting voter-suppression techniques, will vie for their party's nomination.
* In Georgia, state Democratic Party Chairman Mike Berlon, plagued by legal problems, is resigning from his post so to as avoid being a distraction in advance of next year's elections.
* Former Rep. Marjorie Margolies (D-Pa.) lost her seat after one term in 1994, after she voted for President Clinton's economic plan. Two decades later, she's on the comeback trail, poised to run in Pennsylvania's 13th district.
* And in Illinois, Republicans finally have a gubernatorial candidate, with state Treasurer Dan Rutherford (R) kicking off his campaign this weekend.