Political bits

(Reuters) "For the GOP a vacancy is as good as electing Coleman," David Schultz, a professor at Minnesota's Hamline University.

(538) "According to multiple former high-level RNC staffers familiar with the dynamics involved, Steele is unlikely to survive in the post if favored Republican Jim Tedisco loses his open-seat race (NY - Gillibrand's seat) to Democrat Scott Murphy."

(CNN) "The House voted Monday night to approve the creation of a panel to plan a celebration of the centennial of Ronald Reagan's birth in February of 2011."