Peg Luksik: Grassroots underdog with a bite

At the pBut maybe the effectiveness of his message could be in doubt./p
pThese are the days of populist anger and Tea Party momentum, a vein Toomey might have a tougher time tapping./p
pNorthumberland County…

February 4, 2010 at 12:05 pm | Comments (9)

Toomey gets another primary challenger

Even though he’s effectively the GOP’s presumptive nominee for Senate, Pat Toomey got another primary opponent Monday in the form of Bedford County pharmacist John Kensinger.

Kensinger

January 18, 2010 at 6:05 pm | Comments (1)

Luksik has raised almost $300K, spent most of it

In her underdog campaign to win the the Republican nomination for Senate, conservative activist Peg Luksik has brought in almost $300,000 during the cycle, sending most of it right back out the door, according to recent

October 18, 2009 at 12:41 am | Comments (0)

In Sestak’s rough poll numbers, a big opportunity for growth

The pBut as he wraps up his three-week, statewide publicity tour, he can take solace in one very important number: A full 69 percent of voters surveyed haven’t heard enough about him to form an opinion./p
pWith the Democratic primary still nine months away and voters’ perceptions of the economy far from crystallized, his lack of name recognition could, paradoxically, prove his greatest asset moving forward. Whereas Sestak has loads of time and money to shape how voters view him, Specter has much less wiggle room. In the same poll, only 9 percent of voters hadn’t heard enough about the longtime incumbent to form an opinion./p
pBut it won’t be easy—or cheap. The poll was conducted July 14-19, well into a href="http://www.pa2010.com/2009/07/the-press-room-sestaks-media-strategy-goes-local/" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://www.pa2010.com']);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pa2010.com%2F2009%2F07%2Fthe-press-room-sestaks-media-strategy-goes-local%2F','Sestak%22s+media+blitz')" target="_blank">Sestak’s media blitz, signaling that he still has a long way to go toward getting his name on the general public’s radar. He has $4.2 million in campaign cash on hand, according to

July 22, 2009 at 9:08 am | Comments (8)

Toomey would beat Sestak, poll says

If Congressman Joe Sestak (D-7) managed to unseat Senator Arlen Specter and faced Republican Pat Toomey in a general election today, he would lose narrowly to Toomey, according to a new poll.

The Quinnipiac survey, which found

July 22, 2009 at 8:51 am | Comments (6)

In dramatic change, new poll shows Specter and Toomey in dead heat (Updated)

Senator Arlen Specter’s wide lead over Republican Pat Toomey has evaporated, in the clearest sign yet that his party switch three months ago has damaged his credibility with voters, according to a new poll.

A Quinnipiac survey released this morning found Specter leading Toomey by a statistically insignificant one point in a general election matchup, 45 percent to 44 percent. More troubling for Specter, a near-majority of voters say he doesn’t deserve reelection, according to…

July 22, 2009 at 7:04 am | Comments (8)

Settled on Toomey

I give up and I’m throwing in the towel. Not that I don’t like Pat Toomey, but no one else is left on the GOP side (except for

June 22, 2009 at 5:00 pm | Comments (0)

Where are the blacks and women?

Only a few months ago, American was in the midst of an election cycle featuring two trailblazing candidates. The first black major-party nominee for president and the first female vice-presidential candidate on the GOP side. This after the future president and another groundbreaking woman slugged it out in a touch Democratic primary.

But even after all that’s happened on a national level, politics in the Keystone State in many ways remains a white male sport.…

May 4, 2009 at 8:32 am | Comments (1)

Report: Ridge considering Senate run

Former Governor Tom Ridge is considering a GOP run for Senate next year, Roll Call

May 2, 2009 at 12:17 pm | Comments (8)

Of big tents and little people

A lot of ink has been—and will continue to be—spilled over the next few days on “who lost Specter” and whether the post-Specter party should move in a moderate or a conservative direction. Most of the Pa. GOP hierarchy, including RNC committeeman Bob Asher, have leaned in the moderate direction. Pat Toomey and his supporters have predictably gone the other way. It’s all quite entertaining, but I don’t think it’s a real question.

By definition,…

May 1, 2009 at 10:38 am | Comments (0)