In the 15th, tying Dent to Wall Street is the strategy

CLARIFICATION APPENDED (See bottom)

Democrat John Callahan’s campaign is mounting an aggressive effort to portray Congressman Charlie Dent (R-15) as a patron of Wall Street interests, doggedly criticizing the incumbent for the campaign cash he gets from the financial sector and for his opposition to regulatory reforms. The strategy was well under way even before last week’s primary yielded the expected general election matchup between Dent and Callahan, the Bethlehem mayor and White House recruit.…

LEFTOVERS: Toomey on Kagan, Rendell on Sesak, the Chamber for Dent

Republican Senate hopeful Pat Toomey supported President Obama’s first Supreme Court pick. He hasn’t made up his mind about the second.

After backing Sonia Sotomayor last year, Toomey said he’s withholding judgment until taking in her confirmation hearings. “Every once in a while it would be refreshing if politicians did less talking and more listening,” Toomey p“I have an open mind about her nomination,” he added./p
pMeanwhile, we’ve got more post-primary commentary from Gov. Ed Rendell, who also says Senate nominee Joe Sestak and the White House should be more forward about Sestak’s famed claim of a job offer, which just won’t seem to die. He a href="http://blogs.mcall.com/penn_ave/2010/05/gov-rendell-wants-white-house-sestak-to-detail-job-offer.html" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://blogs.mcall.com']);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.mcall.com%2Fpenn_ave%2F2010%2F05%2Fgov-rendell-wants-white-house-sestak-to-detail-job-offer.html','told+reporters+in+Harrisburg')" target="_blank"told reporters in Harrisburg/a that “the White House and Joe Sestak should be a little more detailed and put this behind them.” But he also said he was confident nothing illegal happened and that such political jockeying has been “going on for decades.” emCapitol Ideas/em also flagged a href="http://blogs.mcall.com/capitol_ideas/2010/05/on-msnbc-toomey-keeps-beating-sestak-job-offer-drum.html" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://blogs.mcall.com']);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.mcall.com%2Fcapitol_ideas%2F2010%2F05%2Fon-msnbc-toomey-keeps-beating-sestak-job-offer-drum.html','this+TV+appearance')" target="_blank">this TV appearance in which Toomey again weighed in on the matter.

Onorato welcomes running mate

More than a week after he won the Democratic nomination for governor, Dan Onorato now has a running mate. And he’s welcoming state Representative Scott Conklin with open arms.

“Scott Conklin became a state Representative because he was disgusted with the Harrisburg culture after the infamous legislative pay grab,” Onorato said in a statement Wednesday. “Just as I took on an entrenched incumbent to become County Executive, Scott earned his seat by demanding reform and…

Onorato – Conklin Ticket Will Bring Jobs, Reform To Pennsylvania

By ONORATO FOR GOVERNOR

PITTSBURGH:  Gubernatorial nominee Dan Onorato today welcomed Scott Conklin as the nominee for Lieutenant Governor, creating a Democratic ticket with a proven record of job creation and government reform.

“Scott Conklin became a State Representative because he was disgusted with the Harrisburg culture after the infamous legislative pay grab,” Onorato said.  “Just as I took on an entrenched incumbent to become County Executive, Scott earned his seat by demanding reform and…

Saidel concedes, will request no recount

Just hours after signaling that

Steele: Pa. is a ‘line in the sand’

Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele says that if the GOP is to successfully retake control of the House this year, the Keystone State will prove a critical battleground.

Steele joined state party leaders and Republican congressional candidates Tuesday in Blue Bell to rally the troops before the general election push. He called Pennsylvania “an important battleground, a line in the sand” for the GOP’s campaign efforts, The Inquirer

Recount seems likely in Lt. Gov. race

It’s been more than a week since primary voters went to the polls—but it looks like Democrats will have to wait a little longer to know who won their nomination for Lieutenant Governor.

The Pennsylvania Department of State said Tuesday that returns from counties across the state had been submitted and tallied, and the most recent count still shows state Representative Scott Conklin (D-Centre) holding a slim lead over former Philadelphia City Controller Jonathan Saidel.…

Whatever happens, southwest Pa. wins

For the first time since 1978 when Republican Dick Thornburgh defeated Democrat Pete Flaherty, two of southwest Pennsylvania’s native sons are vying to become governor of the Commonwealth.

Democrat Dan Onorato is, of course, the sitting Executive of Allegheny County. But many Pennsylvanians may be unaware that Republican Attorney General Tom Corbett also hails from the region and got his start in politics as a township commissioner in the Pittsburgh suburb of Shaler.

So, regardless…

Specter takes Sestak on a lunch date

Any bad blood has been laid to rest—or at least enough so that Arlen Specter can introduce Joe Sestak around.

The New York Times

GOPer says Altmire ‘walking on egg shells’—Altmire camp not biting

Keith Rothfus and his Republican supporters in the 4th Congressional District are already talking some trash ahead of the November showdown with incumbent Democrat Jason Altmire. But Altmire’s campaign, at least for now, is staying out of the fray.

“The Congressman is focused on doing the job he was elected to do, and won’t be responding to campaign related press inquiries for the time being,” campaign manager Rachael Heisler said in an e-mail this week,…