Afternoon Fix: John Thune to campaign for six Senate and House candidates this fall; Rick Lazio drops New York gubernatorial bid

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FIRST ON THE FIX

* Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) will headline events for the following Republican Senate nominees between now and Nov. 2: Pat Toomey in Pennsylvania, Ken Buck in Colorado, Dino Rossi in Washington, Dan Coats in Indiana and Ron Johnson in Wisconsin. Thune will also campaign for Kristi Noem, who is running against Democratic Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin in South Dakota.

WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED

* Former Rep. Rick Lazio (R) dropped his Conservative Party bid for New York governor today, giving a potential boost to businessman Carl Paladino (R), who bested Lazio in this month's primary.

* The Republican Governors Association is up with a new TV ad in the Michigan gubernatorial race slamming Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero (D) on spending.

* Maine gubernatorial nominee Libby Mitchell's (D) camp released a poll showing Waterville Mayor Paul LePage (R) taking 38 percent to Mitchell's 34 percent, while three independent candidates combine to take 20 percent.

* The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is up with a new TV ad hitting Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck (R) on Social Security.

* Former President Bill Clinton penned a fundraising letter on behalf of California Attorney General Jerry Brown and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, the state's Democratic nominees for governor and lieutenant governor, saying that the two have "the kind of leadership California needs" on green jobs and the economy.

WHAT YOU SHOULDN'T MISS

* The latest Quinnipiac Poll of the Connecticut Senate race comes out tomorrow morning. Will former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon (R) have closed the gap with state Attorney General Dick Blumenthal (D)?

* Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett (R) and Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato (D) hold a gubernatorial debate tonight.

* New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) raises money for former Rep. John Kasich's (R-Ohio) gubernatorial bid tonight.

* President Obama heads to New Mexico and Wisconsin Tuesday, while Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele's bus tour hits Iowa.

THE FIX MIX

Paterson versus Paterson.

With Felicia Sonmez and Aaron Blake