Around The Horn, July 2 Edition

Here’s your latest dose of congressional campaign news from this past weekend:
-- According to conservative columnist Robert Novak, Democratic state Treasurer John Kennedy (and failed Senate candidate against David Vitter) is expected to switch parties, and will likely challenge Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) in 2008.

 -- Franklin County commissioner Paula Brooks (D) opted not to run for Congress, making a rematch between Rep. Deborah Pryce (R-Ohio) and Franklin County commissioner Mary Jo Kilroy (D) all-but-certain. Brooks said her candidacy would “result in a contentious primary for our party leadership and rank-and-file."

-- Former Ohio appellate judge Bill O’Neill (D) filed candidacy papers to run against Rep. Steve LaTourette (R-Ohio). As a judicial candidate, O’Neill refused to raise large sums of money for his races, but says now he plans to aggressively raise money to wage a serious campaign against LaTourette.

LaTourette won the Northeastern Ohio district with 58 percent of the vote against attorney Lewis Katz (D) in 2006. The district gave President Bush 53 percent of the vote in 2004.

-- Freshman Rep. Tim Walz (D-Minn.) has over $40,000 in credit card debt, which he attributes to the high cost of his 2006 campaign.