Oxman downplays importance of Rendell’s support

Neil Oxman, the longtime political strategist who has been close to Gov. Ed Rendell for years, is now in the awkward position of having to say that his old boss actually doesn’t matter much.

Oxman is working for Democrat Joe Torsella, who now has to face newly-Democratic Senator Arlen Specter in next year’s primary. Torsella had been seen as Rendell’s favored candidate, but now most assume he’ll back Specter.

In an interview with Politico, Oxman said it wouldn’t matter.

“Ed Rendell will be for Specter and will be at the press conference with the president tomorrow, but I don’t think it’s relevant,” Oxman said. “In these kinds of races people make up their minds not because some government leader tells them to.

“Specter has a record and his record is—for Democratic primary voters—not a very good one,” he added. “I don’t think it matters what Joe Biden or Harry Reid or any Washington guy says. Specter [has] a record of votes, and they have not been particularly good ones, for the last 20 years.”