WEEKEND LEFTOVERS: Murphy likes Lentz, Sestak gets Frank & OFA trains

When pa2010.com Central was in northeast Philly for Congressman Patrick Murphy’s (D-8) p“That’s our guy,” Murphy said confidently./p
pMurphy’s remarks aren’t that surprising. His political action committee has a href="http://www.pa2010.com/2009/10/house-colleagues-pitch-in-for-lentz/" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://www.pa2010.com']);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pa2010.com%2F2009%2F10%2Fhouse-colleagues-pitch-in-for-lentz%2F','already+contributed')" target="_blank"already contributed/a to Lentz. But as Lentz…

The First Read — December 7, 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.

Welch catches some heat in the conservative blogosphere
As the Republican Party grapples with whether to expand its political tent or allow only the most ideologically pure candidates to…

MORE LEFTOVERS: Obama’s Callahan mix-up, Dems target Dent, reassessment update

Here’s a few more things pa2010.com Central missed in pThe National Republican Congressional Committee couldn’t help pointing out that, when he appeared in the Lehigh Valley this week, President Obama briefly confused Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan with Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski. Obama referred to Pawlowski as “maybe the next member of Congress,” before quickly correcting himself and noting that it’s Callahan, not Pawlowski, running in the 15th District./p
pState GOP chairman Rob Gleason had tried to make a big deal of the fact that Obama even mentioned Callahan, accusing the president of politicizing his economy-focused event. But let’s be honest: When was the last time you saw a politician take a podium without noting his elected buddies in the audience?/p
pAnyway, our friends at emPennsylvania Ave/em. have a href="http://blogs.mcall.com/penn_ave/2009/12/obama-visit-boost-or-bust-for-democrat-callahan.html" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://blogs.mcall.com']);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.mcall.com%2Fpenn_ave%2F2009%2F12%2Fobama-visit-boost-or-bust-for-democrat-callahan.html','more+on+the+event')" target="_blank"more on the event/a, and the video of Obama’s quick mix-up is at bottom./p
pMeanwhile, a helpful reader tells empa2010.com Central/em what we already suspected—Democrats are dying to unseat Callahan’s incumbent opponent, Charlie Dent. At a emPolitico/em-moderated event last Thursday with the executive directors of the four House and Senate campaign committees, the directors were asked which incumbent won’t be back for the next Congress? DCCC executive director Jon Vogel, we’re told, named Dent. Less surprisingly, Rob Jesmer, who leads the National Republican Senatorial Committee, named Arlen Specter; revenge is a powerful motivator./p
pAnd lastly, here’s a reassessment update. You may remember that Dan Onorato, the gubernatorial hopeful and Allegheny County Executive, has been doing whatever he can to forestall a massive property-tax reassessment, consistently fighting court orders forcing him to do so. Back in May, we wrote about a href="http://www.pa2010.com/2009/05/analysis-as-a-political-obstacle-looms-onorato-looks-to-put-the-onus-on-harrisburg/" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://www.pa2010.com']);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pa2010.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fanalysis-as-a-political-obstacle-looms-onorato-looks-to-put-the-onus-on-harrisburg%2F','the+political+obstacle+this+could+pose')" target="_blank">the political obstacle this could pose.

Well, it appears to be the end of the line for Onorato’s resistance efforts. A judge has

Sestak Calls for Release of Torture Investigation Findings

By SESTAK FOR SENATE

MEDIA, PA – Maintaining his stance against the previous Administration’s abusive interrogation techniques, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate, Congressman Joe Sestak, sent a letter today to Attorney General Eric Holder requesting that he release the findings of a probe of potential misconduct by the authors of the Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) memoranda that authorized the techniques. (The full text of the letter is below.)

“This investigation, which actually…

Murphy: Onorato ‘is a smart, hard-working leader’ (Video)

PHILADELPHIA—Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-8) on Saturday endorsed gubernatorial hopeful Dan Onorato as “our best chance to lead our state,” calling the Allegheny County Executive someone who “knows the values of family, the value of faith and the value of hard work.”

In backing Onorato, Murphy became the first Democratic member of Congress to take sides in the party’s five-way primary to succeed incumbent Gov. Ed Rendell. And it came as Onorato has looked to come…

In endorsements and staffing, Onorato’s emphasis is on the southeast

PHILADELPHIA—Whoever takes the Democratic nomination for governor will have to win big in southeast Pennsylvania, where the bulk of the primary electorate resides. That poses a challenge for western Pennsylvanian Dan Onorato, one his campaign has been working hard to overcome early and often.

Its highest-profile endorsements, most recently one

Lower Merion commish considering 6th District GOP run

The Republican primary in the 6th Congressional District could soon go from crowded to absolutely jam-packed.

Lower Merion Township Commissioner V. Scott Zelov confirmed Friday evening that he is thinking about getting into the race. In a brief interview with pa2010.com, he declined to discuss his political calculus in any detail, but said he hopes to make a final decision “in the next week or so.”

“I’ve been asked my so many friends and supporters…

Murphy says he sees ‘another tough campaign’ next year

PHILADELPHIA—As he prepares to face voters for reelection to a third term, most political watchers see Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-8) as relatively safe. He won a second term by more than 15 points last year, and has gained a reputation as a potent fundraiser. He’s on the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s recruitment group, and is chairing its “Red to Blue” program to win GOP-held seats.

But with at least four Republicans lining up for even…

Congressman Patrick Murphy Endorses Dan Onorato for Governor

By ONORATO FOR GOVERNOR

PHILADELPHIA:  United States Congressman Patrick J. Murphy (PA-8) today announced his support for Dan Onorato’s gubernatorial bid during a 10:30 AM event at the Teamsters Hall in northeast Philadelphia.  The endorsement of Congressman Murphy is the latest sign of growing strength for Onorato in Pennsylvania: last week, he picked up the backing of state Representative Mike Gerber, chair of the House Democratic Campaign Committee.

“I am supporting Dan Onorato for governor…

Bob Brady (D)

Center City and south Philadelphia, Chester, small parts of Delaware County