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Thursday's campaign round-up

Today's installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
 
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:
 
* Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), who has plenty of cash after running unopposed five years ago, is hitting the airwaves early with negative ads targeting far-right freshman Rep. Tom Cotton (R). In the newest spot, the Democratic incumbent reminds voters of Cotton's support for cuts to Social Security and Medicare.
 
* In response, Cotton launched a new ad claiming Democrats cut Medicare as part of the Affordable Care Act -- a discredited and highly misleading claim made popular by the Romney/Ryan 2012 campaign.
 
* It seems hard to believe, but on the generic congressional ballot, Quinnipiac now shows Democrats and Republicans tied at 39% each. In early October, the Democratic advantage was nine points.
 
* In Wyoming, Liz Cheney is running her first television ad of her Senate campaign, stressing her family's ties to the state. Cheney, however, only moved to Wyoming for the first time last year.
 
* In Montana, where Sen. Max Baucus (D) is retiring, Democratic leaders are intervening in the primary in a big way, rallying behind Lt. Gov. John Walsh. He's facing a primary challenge from former Lt. Gov. John Bohlinger, who served as a Republican.
 
* A group called the Tea Party Leadership Fund hopes to find "credible challengers" to run primary campaigns against every House Republican who voted to end the government shutdown last month. The organization has labeled those lawmakers "traitors."
 
* And in California, new-age guru Marianne Williamson intends to run an independent campaign against Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), despite the fact that she agrees with Waxman on nearly every issue, and has voted for him several times. "I'm gratified Ms. Williamson thinks I'm doing a good job and agrees with me on most issues," Waxman said in a statement. "And while some think it would make more sense for her to challenge a Republican and help us regain control of the House, I respect her right to run."