Afternoon Fix: Rollins says Bachmann can’t compete past Iowa right now

Bachmann’s former campaign manager says she doesn’t have the resources to compete past Iowa, Paul Ryan and Mitch Daniels are gettin g together, Linda McMahon is announcing and a poll suggests Republicans could take the Washington governor’s race.

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WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED:

* Ed Rollins, former campaign manager to Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), told MSNBC today that Bachmann doesn't have the “ability or the resources” to compete beyond Iowa “at this point in time.” Rollins quit Bachmann’s campaign last month, citing health reasons. He remains an informal adviser to the candidate; he also has a longstanding reputation for speaking his mind.

* Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Connie Schultz resigned from The Plain Dealer in Cleveland on Monday, saying it was “painfully clear” that she could not continue to write for the paper while it covered the reelection campaign of her husband, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D). Schultz took a leave of absence from the paper the first time her husband ran for Senate, in 2006. She apologized earlier this month for not mentioning state Treasurer Josh Mandel (R) — who is running against her husband — in a column about a tea party event.

* Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.) is endorsing Raja Krishnamoorthi in the Democratic primary for Illinois’ 8th district. Krishnamoorthi, a former Obama adviser, will face ex-administration official Tammy Duckworth in the primary for the seat currently held by Rep. Joe Walsh (R); remapping will make this district more Democratic.

* Massachusetts Republican Party Chairwoman Jennifer Nassour is stepping down in 2012, saying “family must come first” as she expects her third child in February. Nassour took over the state party in 2009 and presided over the upset victory of Sen. Scott Brown (R) in 2010. Her departure comes as a surprise.

* A poll from Strategies 360 finds Republican Attorney General Rob McKenna beating Democratic Rep. Jay Inslee in next year’s Washington state gubernatorial race, 46 percent to 39 percent. The poll, from a bipartisan firm, suggests the state could elect a Republican governor for the first time in three decades, even as Obama enjoys a healthy lead in the presidential race.

WHAT YOU SHOULDN’T MISS:

* Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) is holding a press event with Israeli and American leaders at 10 A.M. Tuesday at the W Hotel in New York City to address the United Nations negotiations over Palestinian statehood. Perry has been trying to capi­tal­ize on President Obama’s perceived difficulties with Jewish voters.

* Amid polls showing Obama’s numbers sinking with Hispanic voters, the Democratic National Committee is going up with Spanish-language television ads promoting the president’s jobs plan. The ads start today and will air in four Hispanic-heavy cities: Denver, Las Vegas, Miami and Tampa.

* Linda McMahon (R) will launch her second Connecticut Senate campaign on Tuesday at Coil Pro Machinery in Southington company. “You don't fix the problems in Washington by sending back the same people who created them,” the former WWE executive said in a statement. “I'm a job creator, I'm not a politician.” McMahon is running for the seat being vacated by Sen. Joe Lieberman (I); she lost to now-Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D) last year.

* Perry will be live on Fox News’ “Hannity” Wednesday night, a day before the next presidential debate. The governor’s debate performance has been uneven and he has yet to sit down for a primetime TV interview since announcing his candidacy, so it should be interesting.

* Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan (R) will keynote the 2011 Indiana Republican Party Fall Dinner on October 21.  Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus and Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels will be in attendance. Both Daniels and Ryan are now the focus of VP chatter; Daniels is also in the news for his new book.

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