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:
* In the newest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, only 27% of Americans have a positive view of Mitt Romney, while 40% have a negative impression. For Hillary Clinton, those numbers are largely reversed, with 45% rating her positively, and 37% seeing her in a negative light.
* On a related note, Clinton is reportedly "assembling a heavily research-driven campaign" operation, and "developing a smarter, more relevant campaign message focused on economic opportunity and her lifelong work to better women's lives." A fascinating Washington Post report added, "Several of Obama's prominent strategists are now supporting Clinton, and she is incorporating his model of using several pollsters and strategy advisers to diversify information coming into the campaign."
* As Rick Santorum moves closer to his second presidential campaign, he's reflecting on his 2012 bid, and he regrets saying "crazy stuff that doesn't have anything to do with anything." He intends to say fewer "dumb things" this time around.
* In Illinois, which will likely be home to one of next year's more closely watched U.S. Senate races, Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D) said yesterday she intends to "explore the possibility" of a statewide campaign. "I'm ready to really explore the possibility of a run," the Iraq War veteran added.
* Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) "tentatively plans" to move forward with his plans for a presidential campaign, filling top campaign posts with aides he hired last year to "expand his political operation."
* If elected president, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) would be the first president since Truman not to have a college degree, and only the second president since 1901 not to at least have a bachelor's.
* Right-wing neurosurgeon Ben Carson has apparently "landed an influential Iowa Tea Party leader to work on his likely presidential campaign." Ryan Rhodes declared last week, "I'm joining team Carson."
* And in a hypothetical general-election matchup pitting Hillary Clinton and Mike Huckabee, the former Secretary of State leads by 17 points, despite the fact that the former Arkansas governor is well liked.