With Rep. Ellen Tauscher’s expected nomination as undersecretary of Arms Control and International Security drawing ever closer, the plethora of candidates who hope to replace her are gearing up their campaign efforts.

Here’s a look at the news from some of their campaigns this week:

Anthony Woods

DEMOCRAT ANTHONY WOODS OF FAIRFIELD

Dan Choi-an, an Iraq War Veteran and national spokesperson for the West Point LGBT Alumni Advocacy Group Knightsout.org, has endorsed Woods. Click here for the full release.

“For 10 years, I have known Anthony Woods as a leader and an officer of the highest caliber,” Choi said in a prepared release.  ”From defending our nation abroad, to fighting for our highest ideals here at home, Anthony Woods exemplifies the real world perspective that is needed to bring about real change in Washington, and I am proud to support his candidacy for Congress.”

Choi, an Arab linguist, lieutenant in the New York Army National Guard a and West Point classmate of Woods, openly declared that he was gay earlier this year on MSNBC’s “Rachel Maddow Show.”  The Army quickly launched discharge proceedings against Choi, who has vowed to fight his termination from the military under the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Policy.

Sen. Mark DeSaulnier

SEN. MARK DESAULNIER, D-CONCORD

DeSaulnier garnered a mention in Roll Call, the Washington, D.C., political newspaper, about his two fundraisers scheduled for this month, one in Pleasanton and another in Alamo. (The folks in Washington just love to read about money.)

The publication also mentioned his endorsement from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees District Council 57 in Oakland. DeSaulnier and Lt. Governor John Garamendi are fighting over the spoils of labor.

In his own release, DeSaulnier announced the endorsement of Contra Costa County Supervisor Susan Bonilla of Concord. No surprise here. The two have supported each others’ candidacies for years.

REPUBLICAN ATTORNEY DAVID HARMER OF DOUGHERTY VALLEY

David Harmer

The lone Republican to enter the race so far, Harmer took a trip to Washington, D.C., to ask for money while his campaign manager Mike Caporusso put out this appeal back home for money and volunteers:

Over the coming weeks, we will be building our volunteer network and creating specific opportunities for people who want to join David in returning conservative leadership to our district.

Right now we need individuals who want to:

* Walk Precincts
* Organize Phone Banks
* Join our “eyes and ears team” to keep us up-to-date on opponent activities
* Host or facilitate neighborhood coffees with David

… As we speak David is busy traveling to raise the funds he will need to combat the Democratic machine in our district. We want to show David that we are pushing hard for him locally by raising $5000 from the team before June 5th when he returns from Washington D.C. If everyone gave $15 we would easily exceed that goal and we hope that you can join us for our exciting first step.

As a side note, if the name of Mike Caporusso sounds familiar, he is also the exective director of the Contra Costa Republican Party.