8:58 AM PT: PA-11: While his name had come up as a possible rematch candidate in his old district (the 10th), I think this is the first time I've seen anyone mention Dem ex-Rep. Chris Carney as a potential challenger in the neighboring 11th, now home to GOP frosh Lou Barletta. But Dan Hirschhorn is very knowledgeable about PA politics, so I'm ready to buy it.
9:15 AM PT: FL-Sen: I guess the Florida GOP doesn't trust George LeMieux or Adam Hasner, because in the wake of Mike Haridopolos's departure, they're casting about for a savior. (I guess that means Haridopolos was their original savior, which is just sad.) Former state House Speaker Allan Bense makes it sound like his phone is ringing off the hook with entreaties to run, but he doesn't seem particularly enthused, though he wouldn't rule it out. Bense hasn't held office since 2006, and has been talked up for several races (including for Senate in '06 and '10) but never pulled the trigger. And while he surely has good connections, he has zero name rec, as this old Quinnipiac poll shows.
9:32 AM PT: MO-Sen, MT-Sen: Via the Fix, Dem super PAC Patriot Majority USA (sounds like a Republican outfit, tho, doesn't it?) is launching a $150,000 ad buy across two states, Missouri and Montana, designed to push back against recent Crossroads GPS spots. The spots are basically identical (see Montana here), focusing on what the Ryan plan does to Medicare. Not sure how effective it is to feature MSNBC hosts inveighing against Ryan, though they do at least cite the WSJ, too.
10:40 AM PT: CA-45: Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet, who had filed paperwork to seek a rematch against GOP Rep. Mary Bono Back but hadn't actively campaigned, said that he will instead seek re-election this fall and won't run for Congress. Pougnet ran a creditable campaign last year, raising well ($1.8 million), but facing 2010's red tide, he lost by just under ten points.
12:15 PM PT: AZ Redistricting: The ref-working has had its desired effect: A barrage of complaints by Republicans (pissed that the lone independent member of Arizona's redistricting commission, Colleen Mathis, dared, dared to side with Democrats on a couple of votes) has led state Attorney General Tom Horne (a Republican, of course) to open an investigation. It also helped that the Arizona Capitol Times also published a report alleging the commission had violating state open meeting and procurement laws.
Furious conservatives are demanding that Gov. Jan Brewer remove Mathis from the board. Honestly, I can't see why she wouldn't at this point — not on the merits, of course, but purely as a partisan move, while pretending to want to uphold the independence of the commission. All she needs is whatever fig leaf Horne's probe provides. In any event, I also suggest you check out local writer Steve Muratore, who has been following this saga assiduously, here and here for more background.
1:05 PM PT: CA-06: Dem state Sen. Noreen Evans, who was thinking about a run for the retiring Lynn Woolsey's seat but whose house was moved out of the CD in the draft redistricting maps, says she won't make the race. Several other Democrats are already running, though, and the article says that one more, Petaluma City Councilwoman Tiffany Renee, has now formed an exploratory committee.
1:10 PM PT: NV-0?: State Sen. Ruben Kihuen and Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford, both of whom are Democrats and both of whom are looking at congressional runs, are in DC this week as part of a delegation from Nevada. Kihuen tells Jon Ralston he's meeting with DCCC chair Steve Israel.