Despite assertions otherwise, Jeff Greenfield says Americans “are probably pretty OK with giving a party a third term in the White House.”

“Viewed through this prism, the idea of an American electorate ‘reluctant’ to give a third straight White House term to a political party looks far less convincing, and far more the product of highly ‘contingent’ events. Indeed, the only recent example where voters clearly rejected a third term for the incumbent party was 2008–when a collapsing economy and the Iraq misadventure doomed John McCain’s hopes of succeeding George W. Bush. And it’s certainly possible that a continued fall in Obama’s approval ratings will prove a burden to Hillary Clinton or any other Democrat in 2016.”

“I think that’s what scares the Democrats the most, is that in a general election, were I to run, there’s going to be a lot of independents and even some Democrats who say, ‘You know what? We are tired of war. We’re worried that Hillary Clinton will get us involved in another Middle Eastern war, because she’s so gung-ho.”

— Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), quoted by the Associated Press, labeling Hillary Clinton a “war hawk.”

Molly Ball says Democrats are building an extensive ground operation in Arkansas in an attempt to re-elect Sen. Mark Pryor (D) in a tough midterm election environment.

“Democrats aren’t advertising this office and 39 others like it that are scattered around Arkansas–in fact, their locations are a closely guarded secret. When I visited last week, having tracked it down through creative public-records sleuthing, I took Chita Collins, the field organizer on duty there, by surprise. But I wanted to see the evidence of what Democrats have been claiming they’re building in states like this one, and what could be crucial to their uphill quest to keep the Senate: an Obama-style community-organizing effort of unprecedented scale for a non-presidential election.”

“Iowa was never supposed to be a Senate battleground for Democrats,” The Hill reports.

“Following two cycles where it was GOP missteps and subpar candidates who cost them winnable races, the tables have turned and it’s now Democrats who are scrambling to right Rep. Bruce Braley’s flagging campaign before it’s too late.”

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) said that he played “no role in soliciting cash from a mining company for the Wisconsin Club for Growth during the 2011 and 2012 recall elections, adding that no one should be surprised that the pro-business governor backed legislation helpful to the firm,” the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

The Washington Post notes Walker’s “aggressive efforts” to raise money for the Wisconsin Club for Growth, “which allegedly served as a de facto arm of his campaign, are the latest details to emerge about a controversial two-year investigation of whether Walker’s campaign illegally coordinated with outside groups.”

A new OnMessage poll in Maryland shows a very close race for governor with Anthony Brown (D) just ahead of Larry Hogan (R), 45% to 42%.

A new Landmark Communications poll in Georgia finds Michelle Nunn (D) leading David Perdue (R) in the U.S. Senate race by seven points, 47% to 40%. Libertarian candidate Amanda Swafford received 3% while 10% are undecided.

Most other recent polls have found Perdue with a growing lead.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s (R) new political action committee unveiled a T-shirt featuring Perry’s mug shot, Business Insider reports.

The caption under Perry’s mug shot says he’s “wanted” for “securing the border and defeating Democrats.”

“Well, I am flattered because she is a strong leader. I am a strong independent leader. I am a strong female independent leader. And I do believe they use that as a distraction. Rather than focus on me, they’re focusing on someone else. She is the kind of politician I admire because she speaks what’s on her mind.”

— Iowa U.S. Senate candidate Joni Ernst (R), quoted by the New York Times, on being compared to Sarah Palin.