Chris Matthews grills Specter

The man who almost ran for Senate himself spent a few minutes grilling incumbent Arlen Specter Wednesday.

MSNBC commentator Chris Matthews challenged Specter on his past support for Republican presidential candidates and recent verbal slip-ups in which Specter thanked “Republicans” when he was with Democratic groups.

See the video below.

Onorato gaining on Corbett, poll says

The millions of dollars worth of TV time purchased by Democrat Dan Onorato has done more than position him as the clear front-runner in his party’s gubernatorial primary. The name recognition afforded by the ad blitz has also left him in a much-improved position against presumptive Republican nominee Tom Corbett, according to a new poll.

The Quinnipiac University poll released Thursday showed Onorato trailing Corbett by just six points, 43 percent to 37 percent, with …

Another poll shows Sestak running better against Toomey

Democratic Senate candidate Joe Sestak keeps getting more ammunition for his argument that he’s the more electable candidate in November.

The latest came in the form of a Quinnipiac University poll released Thursday, which showed Sestak trailing presumptive Republican nominee Pat Toomey by just two points, within the margin of error. Toomey leads 42 percent to 40 percent, with 16 percent of voters still undecided.

Incumbent Arlen Specter, meanwhile, trails Toomey by seven points, 47 …

Cawley wants ad removed (Updated)

Bucks County Commissioner Jim Cawley wants a TV ad by one of his Republican rivals for Lieutenant Governor taken down.

A lawyer for Cawley, the party’s endorsed candidate for the office, wrote to former Lancaster GOP chairman Chet Beiler requesting the removal of reports.

“Your continued dissemination of this video … taints the election process and insults the electors of the commonwealth by creating an intentionally and deliberately false impression in an effort to …

Muhlenberg Tracking Poll: Senate race tied, Onorato up 25

Every day from now until the May 18 primary, pa2010.com will publish the results of the Muhlenberg College tracking poll on the statewide Democratic primaries. To follow our posts on these surveys, click on …

Specter in the NYT

The New York Times has been all about Arlen Specter the last couple days.

…

Arlen Specter, Anthony Williams, and the need for high black turnout

When polls open next Tuesday, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Anthony Williams will no doubt be watching Philadelphia closely, hoping that enough has been done to turnout the high number of black voters he needs to narrow what remains a yawning gap against primary rival Dan Onorato.

But if there’s one person who has even more riding on that turnout, it’s Senator Arlen Specter.

The Republican-turned-Democrat has long commanded strong support from within the city’s black community. …

LEFTOVERS: New ads from Corbett, Kennedy, Kelly & Bucchianeri

So many ads, so few days left before the May 18 primary.

One of the new spots came from Republican gubernatorial front-runner Tom Corbett. It’s a softer look at the state attorney general, in which he chats with folks at a barbershop. “In my very first week as governor,” Corbett says in the ad, “I’m going to send a reform plan to Harrisburg legislators, and believe me, some of them aren’t going to like it.” …

Wagner fires back at Rendell

Auditor General and gubernatorial hopeful Jack Wagner was quick to respond to cries of hypocrisy from Gov. Ed Rendell Wednesday, defending his record of fiscal responsibility, complimenting the governor on his recent weight loss and saying that Rendell clearly has a horse in the race.

Wagner’s comments, in a Harrisburg news conference and a campaign statement later, came after Rendell had lobbed criticism at Wagner and Tom Corbett, the state Attorney General and GOP front-runner …

Pro-choice group backs Sestak

One of the most prominent abortion rights groups in the country endorsed Congressman Joe Sestak (D-7) for Senate on Wednesday, saying that Senator Arlen Specter is not a reliable pro-choice vote.

The endorsement from NARAL Pro-Choice America’s political action committee came after Sestak was recently endorsed by the National Organization for Women’s PAC. Together, the support has given him room to cut into one of Specter’s most frequently cited liberal credentials.

“We are proud to …