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:
* The Democratic National Committee announced this morning that Philadelphia will host the party's national convention next year. Philly beat out the other two finalists, Brooklyn and Columbus, Ohio. The convention begins on July 25, 2016.
* Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) caused a stir yesterday, refusing to say whether he believes in evolution when asked at a forum in London. Responding to the flap, the far-right governor said on Twitter, "Both science & my faith dictate my belief that we are created by God. I believe faith & science are compatible, & go hand in hand." That's still not an answer to the question.
* On a related note, it's worth emphasizing that during Walker's trip to England, a trip intended to bolster his standing on foreign affairs, the Wisconsin governor refused to discuss foreign affairs.
* Ohio Gov. John Kasich's (R) name has already been part of the 2016 presidential conversation, but the Republican governor raised the volume on the chatter yesterday by announcing a trip to South Carolina next week. South Carolina, of course, is one of the early nominating states.
* The National Republican Congressional Committee will host a big fundraising dinner next month, headlined by former Vice President Dick Cheney. By some accounts, Cheney was apparently the NRCC's second choice -- Mitt Romney was invited to deliver the event's keynote, but he turned the party down.
* The "signature cause" of Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal's (R) presidential campaign will be his opposition to Common Core education standards. Jindal, you'll recall, spent several years supporting Common Core until he learned the GOP base hated it.
* On a related note, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) still supports Common Core standards, though he seems reluctant to use the phrase out loud.
* And if you think it's too early to discuss the 2016 elections, you'll probably be annoyed to learn that California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) created a new fundraising/campaign committee yesterday for his gubernatorial campaign. The election isn't until 2018.