National results: A kinder, gentler GOP?

Democrats have been hoping, and Republicans fearing, that a hard-right, Tea Party-based GOP would squander its many advantages heading into this fall’s elections in Pennsylvania and elsewhere. This week’s primary results suggest that fear—if it remains real—may be somewhat exaggerated.

Victories by

Pat Meehan Opposes This Critical Aid For Pennsylvania Seniors

By LENTZ FOR CONGRESS

MEDIA –Representative Bryan Lentz announced that Medicare started sending out $250 ‘donut hole’ checks to senior citizens across Pennsylvania today to help them cover the high cost of prescription drugs. It is the first direct benefit that senior citizens throughout the nation will experience as a result of health insurance reform signed in to law this spring.

As additional seniors in the state enter the gap in Medicare’s prescription drug coverage…

Dahlkemper campaign manager returning

The same woman ran Kathy Dahlkemper’s first bid for Congress will also run her first reelection bid.

Tina Mengine, the freshman congresswoman’s chief of staff, is returning to run Dahlkemper’s campaign against Republican Mike Kelly in the 3rd Congressional District, The Erie Times-News

CORBETT SILENT ON REFORMING WASTEFUL PENNDOT OFFICE – TALKS ABOUT CUTTING FIREFIGHTERS, TEACHERS INSTEAD

By ONORATO FOR GOVERNOR

PITTSBURGH:  Attorney General Tom Corbett has joined Pennsylvania legislators of both parties in failing to denounce a secretive, wasteful division at the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

The “Legislative Services Division” at PennDOT was tasked with helping lawmakers process constituents’ driver’s license applications and vehicle registrations – the same services offered to Pennsylvania residents at local PennDOT offices.  Governor Ed Rendell announced recently that he would eliminate the office.

“Pennsylvania taxpayers should…

LEFTOVERS: Building trades endorsements, Kanjo negotiates, Jobgate (still) lives

The state’s largest builders union made a pair of post-primary endorsements this week, backing Democratic Senate nominee Joe Sestak and gubernatorial hopeful Dan Onorato. The umbrella Pennsylvania State Building & Construction Trades represents more than 100,000 workers in the state. The group’s present said Frank Sirianni said of Sestak: “Pennsylvania does not need to move backwards by electing a candidate who has already shown his inability to lead as a Congressman. Our council is proud…

Dems tie Toomey to Big Oil, but Republican claims middle ground

With oil spilling into the Gulf of Mexico unabated, Democrats are making their most sustained efforts to date to link Republican Senate candidate Pat Toomey to the oil industry, highlighting campaign contributions from the sector and votes in Congress to allow expanded drilling. But their criticisms are being at least slightly undercut by the fact that the leader of their party, President Obama, agrees with Toomey on one critical issue: both favor continued off-shore drilling.…

Callahan: Dent ‘in the pocket’ of Wall Street (Updated)

Democrat John Callahan’s campaign continues to bash Congressman Charlie Dent (R-15) as a tool of Wall Street, using a new Web ad to rehash votes in considers Dent’s payback for tens of thousands in campaign contributions from the financial sector.

The 60-second Web ad, titled “A Dent in your pocket” and sent to the campaign’s list of more than 45,000 registered voters in the 15th District, is only the latest of

Dent robo-call blames Callahan for lost bond savings

Congressman Charlie Dent (R-15) continues to go directly after Democratic challenger John Callahan’s legacy as Bethlehem mayor, using a new robo-call to resurrect a six-year-old bond refinancing on which the city lost more than $1.5 million worth of potential savings.

The issue is incredibly complex, and in the robo-call, Dent’s campaign seeks to blame Callahan for the lost savings, and for allegedly steering work to a preferred financial firm. But Dent’s campaign attack omits key…

Meehan Campaign Schedules Unprecedented 10 Debates in 7th District

By MEEHAN FOR CONGRESS

DREXEL HILL, PA – Pat Meehan, the Republican candidate for Congress, has followed through on his call for a “vigorous series of debates” in the 7th Congressional District, scheduling 10 debates with a variety of media outlets and organizations between now and the November election.

“The number of debates we have scheduled and agreed to in this campaign are unprecedented in recent history for this seat,” said former U.S. Attorney Pat…

CORBETT ALL ATWITTER AGAIN

By ONORATO FOR GOVERNOR

PHILADELPHIA: Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Corbett again showed his lack of executive experience and his willingness to pander, telling a Philadelphia TV station that the answer to the state’s budget crisis is to cut firefighters and teachers.

When asked by anchor Sheinelle Jones of Fox 29’s Good Day Philadelphia if it was his position that teachers’ and firefighters’ jobs don’t matter when it comes to cutting the budget, Corbett responded, “the…