The First Read — October 19, 2009

Every Monday-Thursday morning, pa2010.com compiles the most important political news of the day, from newspapers to the blogosphere and back. Enjoy this edition.

Sign up for The First Read. And for all the latest news, log on to pa2010.com, your destination for Pennsylvania’s big 2010 elections.

How Pat Meehan raked in some fast cash
In seeking to quickly demonstrate the political potency of his Congressional bid, former U.S. Attorney Pat Meehan tapped his extensive connections within the legal community, maxing out a large number of donors early as he took just 16 days to raise a sum that almost equaled what his likely Democratic opponent took several weeks to pile up. Read More
Also on pa2010.com: House colleagues pitch in for Lentz

Specter calls GOP a ‘party of obstructionism’
Senator Arlen Specter lashed into his old party on Sunday, calling the GOP a “party of obstruction” that was “not cooperating.” Read More

Callahan outraised Dent in third quarter
This is what Democrats were hoping for. Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan, widely considered the best candidate the party has ever recruited to take on Congressman Charlie Dent (R-15), outraised his incumbent opponent in the third quarter, turning in what was arguably the best fundraising performance of any House challenger in the state. Read More

Onorato leads Dems in poll, but plurality undecided
Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato continues to lead a wide-open Democratic primary for governor, with more than a third of voters still undecided, according to a new poll. Read More
Also on pa2010.com: Corbett tops 50-percent mark in Rasmussen poll

Specter camp seizes on opponents’ fundraising numbers
Senator Arlen Specter’s campaign last week sought to portray the Senate contest as a money race heading strongly in its direction, saying that the “wind [is] out of the sails” for primary opponent Joe Sestak and that Republican Pat Toomey is on a “spending binge.” Read More
Also on pa2010.com: Sestak’s fundraising slows
Toomey spends big

Critics skeptical about fate of state lawmakers’ grants
A notable victim of this year’s recession-driven budget cuts is supposedly the tens of millions of tax dollars that legislative leaders have long controlled through a secretive process to underwrite lawmakers’ favored causes. But the secrecy that has always cloaked the taxpayer-financed grants is also fueling skepticism about whether legislative leaders have truly relinquished their power to funnel funds back home for hospitals, water and sewer authorities, civic and cultural organizations, clubs, schools, and police and fire departments. Read More
More budget fallout: Reflections on Rendell’s reign at twilight

Mensch to be sworn in today
After state Representative Bob Mensch is sworn into the state Senate at 3 p.m. Monday, constituent services will continue in the House district. Read More

Gerlach’s early gubernatorial money came from House account
Only a couple days after formally entering the race for governor, Congressman Jim Gerlach (R-6) found his first bunch of campaign cash in a familiar place: his own House account. Read More

Luksik has raised almost $300K, spent most of it
In her underdog campaign to win the the Republican nomination for Senate, conservative activist Peg Luksik has brought in almost $300,000 during the cycle, sending most of it right back out the door. Read More
Also on pa2010.com: Funds hard to come by, Kortz is paying his own way

Corbett can lessen the Bonusgate conflict
There’s no denying there’s a lot of negative buzz about Tom Corbett conducting this investigation while seeking the GOP gubernatorial nomination. Indeed, some is generated by partisans. Some, however, comes from respected circles. But Corbett shouldn’t resign. He was elected by Pennsylvanians to be attorney general. And he could deflect some of the criticism by turning the probe over to veteran staff prosecutors Frank Fina and Anthony Krastek. Read More
More gubernatorial race news: Corbett should send Mary Buchanan some flowers

Trivedi loaned his campaign $6K, has $122K on hand
It’s not Doug Pike money, but it’s something. Democrat Manan Trivedi almost matched the money raised by his 6th District primary opponent in the third quarter, bringing in about $114,000. At the same time, he made a $6,000 loan to his campaign, finishing the period with almost $122,000 in cash on hand. Read More
Also on pa2010.com: Pike gave another $110K

O’Brien’s criticisms of Kanjorski come after supporting him
As a congressional candidate, Lackawanna County Commissioner Corey O’Brien is publicly questioning Congressman Paul Kanjorski’s ethics. He could have done that last year as Kanjorski ran for a 13th term. Instead, O’Brien backed Kanjorski. Read More

Altmire has more than $700K on hand
Congressman Jason Altmire (D-4) brought in more than $220,000 during the third quarter, building up a campaign war chest of about $709,000 ahead of his fight for a third term next year. Read More
Also on pa2010.com: Carney has $394K
LEFTOVERS: Dahlkemper, Murphy, Schwartz and Thompson

Small airports get big bite of funding from federal grants
Westmoreland County’s Rostraver Airport doesn’t offer commercial flights, but over the past five years it received more than $2.1 million from a federal program funded largely through fees on airline tickets, a study shows. Read More

Have a great day!