Specter says he has $7.5M on hand

Senator Arlen Specter’s campaign raised almost $1.75 million during the last quarter and has about $7.5 million on hand, the campaign said Tuesday.

“Our impressive fundraising this quarter demonstrates the strong support I have in the Democratic Party and across Pennsylvania,” Specter said in a statement.

Full campaign finance reports are to be published Wednesday.

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Vacancy in PA-6 is good news for Dems

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted largely due to the budget impasse that Senate Republicans have perpetuated, but at least we got some good news today.

With Congressman Jim Gerlach’s (R-6) announcement that he will run for governor next year, his seat will be wide open and very winnable for a Democrat.

Former Philadelphia Inquirer editorial writer Doug Pike has done an outstanding job of putting together a campaign team. He has also done the…

Santorum denies rumors of involvement in Senate recruiting

Rumors have been swirling this week that former Senator Rick Santorum was the key player in bringing

Gerlach makes it official: He’s running for Governor

Congressman Jim Gerlach (R-6) will run for Governor next year, adding another Republican to the competitive primary field and creating an open House seat that the GOP will be hard-pressed to defend.

Gerlach, in a statement Tuesday morning, said the economic challenges facing the state call for his leadership.

“From cutting state spending, income taxes and welfare rolls, I have been on the front lines for years fighting for smaller government and greater efficiency in…

Pike rolls out endorsements, fundraising numbers

On a day when incumbent Congressman Jim Gerlach (R-6) is expected to announce a gubernatorial bid, the Democrat who seeks to replace him rolled out a series of endorsements and said he had $630,000 in campaign cash.

Former Inquirer editorial writer Doug Pike’s campaign said he has been endorsed by a number of current and former southeast Pennsylvania elected officials, including state Senator Daylin Leach (D-Montgomery), state Representative Josh Shapiro, and former gubernatorial candidate Lynn…

Corruption, the legal and the illegal kind

Interesting juxtaposition today between Dan Hirschorn’s

Rendell on Wagner: ‘Often he doesn’t totally understand what the issues are’

Last week, Gov. Ed Rendell appeared on CSPAN’s Washington Journal. While answering a call from a viewer, Rendell had an

The 7th deserves better

When the 2006 elections approached, I was one upset Republican. Congress was spending more and more, and getting less and less actually done. Hurricane Katrina had demonstrated that while the government had grown larger, it had also become less competent. I watched as the GOP leadership spoke of a limited and responsible government and personal freedom, but practiced something much different.

Then one day I got a call from someone who had a pretty good…

Behind the scenes, Sestak and Specter keep up the sniping

The public statements may have stopped, for now. But the vitriol continues.

In messages to supporters Monday, Senator Arlen Specter and Congressman Joe Sestak (D-7) continued to pound one another ahead of their expected Senate primary fight next year. Their attacks didn’t tread new ground, instead mostly reiterating points made in their

Gerlach reportedly to announce gubernatorial run

Congressman Jim Gerlach (R-6) will forgo reelection next year to make a run at the Governor’s Mansion instead, The Morning Call reports.

Gerlach has for months been considering a gubernatorial bid, even as local and national Republicans have shuddered at the prospect of defending his increasingly-Democratic seat without their incumbent. But The Morning Call