A new WBUR poll in Massachusetts finds defeated Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) is in a strong position should there be a special election to fill Sen. John Kerry’s (D-MA) seat next year with a favorability rate of 58% to 28%.

Said pollster Steve Koczela: “We matched him up theoretically against (U.S. Reps.) Ed Markey, Mike Capuano, Steve Lynch and (former U.S. Rep.) Marty Meehan, and in each one of those cases, he led by between 17 and 19 points.”

“Top donors to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s reelection campaign are telling supporters they hope to raise $2 million by the end of the year,” Politico reports, “a glaringly large figure in the few short weeks since he announced he’s seeking reelection.”

“Sources familiar with the approach by some Christie rainmakers said donors solicited in the past two weeks were told the campaign wants to bring in that sum by Dec. 31. If they can pull it off, it would exacerbate the already daunting challenge facing any Democrats considering a run against Christie, whose popularity has soared in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.”

Former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford (R) “is mulling a congressional comeback, with sources saying he might join the special election contest for Rep. Tim Scott’s (R-SC) soon-to-be-vacant House seat,” Roll Call reports.

Also considering a bid: Jenny Sanford — his ex-wife — who lives in the 1st District.

Said Jenny Sanford: “I have already had calls from people offering to help should I choose to run, and I will speak with my family about that possibility over the holidays.”

Michael Dukakis (D) “may be headed back to the political spotlight as he’s considered a likely interim replacement for Sen. John Kerry (D-MA),” The Hill reports.

If Kerry is named Secretary of State as expected, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick (D) “needs to find someone to fill Kerry’s seat until a special election can be held in the late spring or early summer… The Democratic primary for Kerry’s seat will be intense and Patrick is expected to tap someone as an interim replacement who would promise not to run in the special election.”

Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal reports Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA), “who just lost an expensive, hard-fought re-election campaign, may soon get a shot at redemption.”

A new Public Opinion Strategies (R) poll in Virginia finds Terry McAuliffe (D) edging Ken Cuccinelli (R) in next year’s race for governor, 43% to 42%.

The poll was done for Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) and also shows him with a 67% approval rating.

Jonathan Karl: “The President has not made a choice on his next nominee for Secretary of
State yet, but Governor Deval Patrick is already making plans to fill
presumptive SecState nominee John Kerry’s Senate seat. Knowledgeable
sources tell me Governor Patrick has already had a discussion with one
potential replacement for Senator Kerry: Vicki Kennedy.  The sources
say the governor talked to Kennedy, the widow of Senator Ted Kennedy,
about the possibility of replacing Kerry in the Senate and that she did
not rule it out.” 

“If Kerry is nominated and confirmed as Secretary of State,
Governor Patrick would appoint somebody to replace Kerry and, under
Massachusetts law, a special election would be held no later than 180
days (and no earlier than 160 days) after Kerry leaves the Senate.”

Sandi Jackson, wife of recently resigned Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr (D-IL), told the Chicago Tribune that she will not run for her husband’s former seat.

Said Jackson: “No. I am not a candidate for Congress. I intend to remain an alderman.”

Jackson also said “she is undecided about whether to move back to Chicago full time from Washington, where she said her husband currently is staying with the couple’s children while continuing to see his doctors regularly.”

New York Daily News: “Bill de Blasio says he’s proud of his marriage — and his wife’s outspoken lesbian past.”

A new Public Policy Polling survey in New Jersey is the third poll in recent days to suggest Gov. Chris Christie (R) is pretty safe for re-election in 2013.

Key findings: Christie’s approval rate is 67% to 25% and he would beat Cory Booker (D) in a gubernatorial match up by double-digits, 50% to 36%.

Virginia Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling (R), who dropped his gubernatorial race this morning, suggests to the Roanoke Times he might run for the office as an independent.

Said Bolling: “I don’t have any current intention of doing that, but I’m not going to rule anything out at this point. Right now my focus is on working with the governor to get ready for the 2013 session of the General Assembly, and then once we get the session behind us, we’ll take a look at the political landscape and see how things are coming together. You know, I’m always assessing political options.”

Virginia Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling (R) is expected to drop out of next year’s gubernatorial race, leaving Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli (R) with a clear path to the GOP nomination next year, Politico reports.

CNN notes Bolling’s decision sets the table for “a titanic 2013 clash” between
Cuccinelli and former DNC chairman Terry McAuliffe.

A new Quinnipiac poll in New Jersey finds voters overwhelmingly favor Gov. Chris Christie (R) for re-election, 67% to 25%.

The strongest possible Democratic challenger, Newark Mayor Cory Booker (D), trails Christie by 18 points, 53% to 35%.

Said pollster Maurice Carroll: “Remember, we have a state election in 2013 and the only Democrat who shows any oomph against Christie, the hero of Hurricane Sandy, is Booker. Even he trails the Republican Governor by double digits.”

A new Quinnipiac poll in New Jersey finds 95% of voters think Gov. Chris Christie (R) did an “excellent” or “good” job responding to Hurricane Sandy.

Christie now holds a sky high 72% to 21% approval rating.

Meanwhile, a new Rutgers-Eagleton poll shows 59
percent support Christie’s re-election for Christie while 32% oppose him.
In a possible match up, Christie leads Cory Booker (D) by 19 points,, 53% to 34%.

“It would be wrong for me to leave now.”

— New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R), quoted by the AP, announcing his plans to run for re-election.

Illinois Gov.Pat Quinn (D) ordered a special primary election for February 26 for voters in the state’s 2nd Congressional District to begin the process to replace former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D), the Chicago Tribune reports.

The special general election is set for March 19, but could be changed to April 9 if Quinn can convince the legislature to allow the date to be the same as the already scheduled municipal elections.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) filed the necessary paperwork to officially launch his 2013 re-election campaign, the Newark Star Ledger reports.

Said adviser Michael DuHaime: “He’s made his decision and wanted to make sure as soon as he did he
would to let people know. He’s instructed us to get the
ball rolling on re-election.”

The Christian Science Monitor reports former Rep. Jesse Jackson’s (D-IL) wife, Chicago Alderman Sandi Jackson, and his brother, John Jackson, are both mulling special election bids for the seat he stepped away from last week.

The Washington Post reports former Rep. Debbie Halvorson (D-IL), who lost to Jackson in the March Democratic primary, has already announced her bid for the seat.

After months of speculation, Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) announced he ”
won’t seek another term as governor, meaning whatever his political
future holds is likely be oriented around Washington rather than the
State Capitol,” the Virginian Pilot reports.

Said Warner: “I loved being Governor, but I have a different job now — and it’s here, in the United States Senate.”

Warner’s decision effectively makes 
Terry McAuliffe the likely Democratic frontrunner for the 2013
gubernatorial nomination.