Tammy-
Hoeffel’s strategy seems pretty straight-forward: have the other candidates split the conservative (and western PA) vote and cancel each other out, while he picks up the liberal vote and most of SE PA.
It’s both regional and philosophic, because Onorato and Wagner are similar on both criteria.

If Huckabee had’t drained conservative votes from Rommey in the GOP primaries, McCain wouldn’t have won the nomination. Then we all would have missed out on the spectacle that is Sarah Palin.

And Washington… and Cambria… and Somerset (etc etc). I see shades of 04 for Hoeffel in this one. I do not think he’s a very effective statewide candidate. More of a primary candidate.

WestDem-
My remarks are geared towards is best strategy for the primary. You can’t get to the General without focusing on that first.
For the General election, if Hoeffel wins the primary, I think it will be interesting with him running on the same ticket at Specter.
The theme from “The Odd Couple” is running through my head.

Hoeffel has already had the desired effect on the race, with Onorato being forced to insist he would not attempt to dial back abortion rights as Governor. To be frank, PA has too many older voters and Reagan Democrats for progressives to be considering running on same-sex marriage. Rather than lose on that this time around, it would be better to wait several years until more homophobes die, more states act on it, and the proportion of the tolerant electorate ticks up a few points. Not to reduce a moral issue to cold calculation, but it really is just not winnable in PA next year. Onorato really is the ideal candidate. He’s got a solid record on economic development, which will be very powerful in the race against Corbett, whose legal career has nothing to do with creating jobs. Onorato can use Pittsburgh’s success as a model for the rest of the state. If Hoeffel really wants to win, he should come out with a progressive populist economic message that will fan working class anger over bailouts and high unemployment to lead a backlash against Harrisburg Republicans’ insistence on cutbacks in services while protecting corporations from carrying their share of the burden.

Shades of Hoeffel from O4, third best candidate to pick in the race out of the pack. Not picking a western candidate… id simply suggest good luck going against corbett. May as well not bother coming out west. I dont think that will be a problem. Hoeffel has significant problems getting attention from the media.

I suggest picking the candidate who does the best in the general. Thats clearly not Joe Hoeffel.

WESTPADEM6-

Joe Hoeffel received 42% of the vote in a general election against Arlen Specter when Specter was probably at his highest (in terms of approval). He received little help and was sacrificed as a result. This time around he will be up against a far less popular opponent who wont have the power of incumbency. I agree that the strongest general candidate should be the one we elect, we have all seen what happens when the GOP rejects that idea and picks the most extreme candidate. I am not sure that Hoeffel isnt that candidate. As we get closer to the primary and the field thins a bit we should get a better idea of what this race will look like, and I bet Hoeffel will look a lot more appealing.

More appealing… to who? Not anyone outside the south east corner of the state… not with the current list of candidates. I have to put ham at #2 at best or #3. He’s in the second tier.

Jon—

You refer to folks in western Pennsvlvania as homophobes. I would say they are traditional American families and their views reflect it as do mine. I am socially conservative and a big union supporter, pro life, pro gun. The east coast liberals that cant figure it out… welcome to central pa, western pa, ohio and west virginia. Why treat us as “second class” democrats?

WESTPADEMS –

Why do you view/treat homosexuals and those who you see as “different” from you as “second class” citizens not deserving of the same rights as you?

Tammy,

You did an excellent article. Next time, please suggest to have a real western Pennsylvanian write an article for western Pennsylvania. To answer your question with false implications, which you draw from traditionalism…

Im replying to someone who made the broad generalization that older western Pennsylnaians are homophobes. I think u wrote an excellent piece, but i take exceptiuonw your question as an over reaching absurdity. I never said homosexuals were second class citizens. I am in favor of civil unions and actually very offended by that. Id suggest you become familar with western Pennsylvania values before you accuser them of being homophobes and them accuse them of hating homosexuals… seriously dude thats a little extreme. If you are troubled by traditionalist, that your problem… i do see troubles.

a little offensive and disturbing… i am very supporting of ALL OF OUR big tent party.

WESTPADEMS -

Civil unions are not marriage. They relegate homosexuals to second class status and disallow them from enjoying the same rights you or I would.

Hi Tammy,

I supported John Edwards civil union stance and still support that stance today. That doesnt give someone the broad right imply that an entire region of folks are homophobes. You should apologize for it and im asking you to. Then to make the assertion when i said that they and i were traditionalists and shouldnt be criticized for such… If you despise traditionalists that your problem, welcome to western Pennsylvania Tammy, we’re proud of our people.

Particularly foolish when i specifically listed pro life, pro gun, and pro labor… you make the broad assertion that somehow i think gay people are second class citizens when you should be asking John to apologize for wanting people to “die off” and calling them homophobes. Very far from the truth. I believe marriage is between a man and a woman. I believe that civil unions should be afforded to ensure that gay folks have the same rights as everyone. Hospital visitation rights, inheritance rights, adoption rights etc. Thats why i support civil unions and wont apologize for being a traditionalist, eventhough you evidentally find it beneath you.

WESTPADEM6 –

I did not call anyone a homophobe. In fact, my post did not even mention gay marriage. That was an assertion made by one of the commenters here.

But, regardless of how you try and rationalize it, denying an entire group of people rights equal to yours is relegating them to a second tier status in the society. Your attempts at justification are akin to those used by other ‘traditionalists’ at another time who wanted to keep schools segregated – what difference does it make if the white kids are in one school and the black kids are in another as long as they get the same education? Or by those who insist, “I’m not a racist – I just don’t want ‘those people’ living in my neighborhood.”

You’re saying the same thing – I’m not a homophobe and I don’t think gays are second class citizens, I just don’t want them to have access to all of the things that I do. You cannot tell people they cannot have the same life you are entitled to, and then claim you are treaing them like everyone else. You are not.

Hi Tammy,
I pretty clearly stated my beliefs above and i dont apologize for them. Im proud of them. Im not denying anyone access to anything and my stance for example on civil unions gives people “access” that i am supposedly denying them. You are attempting to alter a definition of marriage itself. I am not willing to do so. Lots of social conservatives make up most of the state essentially outside the southeast corner, so when someone like Hoeffel shows up, not sure thats the best thing for the party in this election.