Attorney General Jon Bruning is inching close to capturing 50 percent of the vote in the Nebraska Senate primary, according to a new poll released early to POLITICO Tuesday. 

The survey, paid for by Bruning-endorser Citizens United Political Victory Fund, shows the front-running candidate with a nearly 30-point lead over his nearest challenger, state treasurer Don Stenberg. 

The Wenzel Strategies poll pegs the race at Bruning 48 percent, Stenberg 19 percent and State Sen. Deb Fischer at 10 percent. 

Read more at Politico here.

Republicans favor Jesse Kelly as their candidate for former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' Arizona House seat, according to a poll released first to POLITICO. 

A Wenzel Strategies survey, paid for by Citizens United Political Victory Fund, shows Kelly is ahead of his nearest GOP primary challenger by close to 25 percentage points in the special election.

The poll, taken Wednesday and Thursday of this week, puts Kelly at 43 percent to State Sen. Frank Antenori's 18 percent and sports commentator Dave Sitton's 10 percent.  Twenty percent aren't sure.

Read more at Politico here. 

More evidence of the divide on the right in the Nebraska Senate race: Citizens United is going with Jon Bruning. 

The group's political action committee tells POLITICO it will formally endorse the Attorney General Thursday, writing him a $10,000 check for the primary and general elections. 

In a forthcoming statement, Citizens United president David Bossie says Bruning represents "new blood in the conservative movement." 

 Read more at Politico here. 

Citizens United, the Republican political group and namesake of the famous Supreme Court campaign-finance ruling, is backing U.S. Rep. Tom Latham in his reelection fight against Rep. Leonard Boswell. 

Latham, a Republican, currently represents Iowa’s fourth district, but will challenge the Democrat Boswell this year in the newly drawn third district. 

Read more at the Des Moines Register here. 

Citizens United Political Victory Fund (CUPVF), the affiliated PAC of Citizens United, issued the following statement endorsing Congressman Tom Latham for Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District. CUPVF has also contributed $10,000 total – $5,000 respectively for Latham’s primary and general elections. 

“Congressman Latham has been a steadfast conservative in the U.S. House, and he will continue to promote pro-growth and fiscally responsible economic policies that will create jobs in Iowa,” said David N. Bossie, President of Citizens United.  “Our American ideals are being threatened by liberal policies that have plunged our nation $15 trillion in debt.  Congressman Latham is right in saying Obamacare is a mistake because Democrats took their eye off the economy and Americans suffered because of that choice.  Iowans will have a clear choice this November between Leonard Boswell’s failed big government record and Tom Latham’s innovative economic solutions.”  

A Washington-based conservative group is choosing sides in a developing member-versus-member House primary in Louisiana. 

The Citizens United Political Victory Fund sent $5,000 to freshman Republican Jeff Landry on Tuesday to boost his potential bid against four-term Rep. Charles Boustany. 

“It is imperative that Congressman Jeff Landry remain in Congress to fight for the conservative cause,” said Citizens United President David Bossie. “CUPVF urges Congressman Landry to take this primary challenge head-on and campaign on his reform-minded conservative credentials.” 

Read more at Politico here.  

Out of all the competitive Senate races this cycle, former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson (R) is emerging as a leading target of conservatives.

While candidates in other races could still emerge, conservative grassroots groups have failed to find top-tier recruits against centrist Republicans in some other Senate races, leaving them to focus their ire on the former governor and Health and Human Services secretary.

Tea Party groups had once talked about targeting Sens. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) and Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), and had hoped a strong, down-the-line conservative would emerge against centrist former Rep. Heather Wilson (R-N.M.). None of those things has happened.

Read more at The Hill here. 

A robo-call featuring Mike Huckabee is targeting 35,000 Iowans urging them to vote for Cedar Rapids Republican Cindy Golding in tomorrow’s special election, according to a special interest group. 

Citizens United’s political action committee paid for the effort for the Marion/Cedar Rapids area Iowa Senate seat, according to a news release from the group this morning. Citizens United, best known for its role in the U.S.  Supreme Court political finance case, is based in Washington, D.C. 

If Golding wins Tuesday’s special election against Cedar Rapids Democrat Liz Mathis, the Iowa Senate will be tied 25-25. Democrats currently control the chamber 26-24, but Democrat Swati Dandekar stepped down to take a political appointment from Republican Gov. Terry Branstad. 

Read more at The Des Moines Register here.