With The Matthews Boomlet Over, Who Else Might Run In Pennsylvania?
So with Chris Matthews now officially out of the race for Senator from Pennsylvania against Republican incumbent Arlen Specter, who are the more established (though less colorful) local Democrats who could end up going for it?
A Pennsylvania Dem source told us that while it could be a few months before we have any official candidates, and there are no true frontrunners at this point, these are the potential candidates who have dropped their names in the gossip circles of state Democratic politics, looking to see what the reaction might be:
• Jack Wagner: The second-term state Auditor, who was just re-elected in a landslide this past November, and is said to be weighing whether to run for governor or Senate in 2010. Like Sen. Bob Casey, he is a pro-life and economic populist Democrat, which would make for a fun match-up against the pro-choice and pro-business Specter -- and if he won, the state would have two pro-life Dem Senators.
• Allyson Schwartz: Congresswoman and former state Senator from the Philadelphia area. She previously ran for Senate in the 2000 primary, so it's hardly unrealistic to see her trying for it again.
More potential Senate candidates, after the jump.
• Josh Shapiro: State Representative from the Philly area.
• Lynne Abraham: The Philadelphia District Attorney -- the same office from which Arlen Specter launched his political career, many moons ago.
• Dwight Evans: State Representative from Philly, and also the chairman of the state House Appropriations Committee.
• Joe Torsella: President of the National Constitution Center in Philly, and has expressed an interest in the race.
• Robin Wiessmann: The departing state Treasurer, who was appointed to the vacancy caused by Bob Casey's win for Senate in 2006. She did not seek a full term as a condition of the appointment, but performed well in the job and is viewed positively overall.
And while we are on the subject of who might run for Senate, why not join me in speculating about who might run in Missouri?
January 8, 2009 3:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
You should repost that. I recommended it.
I don't have any suggestions, though, seeing as I'm woefully uninformed about MO politics.
Can Harry Truman be revived?
January 8, 2009 3:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
A better question might be, "Will Specter be challenged from the right in the Republican primary?" That would put him in a tough spot, as he'd have to tack way right to survive a primary challenge, then tack back to the center again for the general.
January 8, 2009 3:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
I would suggest that maybe we should hope for Santorum to offer such a primary challenge, but I think that falls under the heading of "be careful what you wish for." If he only served to wound Specter that would be one thing, but if he actually won I would be worried that he might actually win the whole thing, and that is not a chance worth taking in my book.
January 8, 2009 3:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't have a horse in this race, but I hope Specter gets challenged by a Pennsylvanian Tom Tancredeo, or some other nutjob of similar ilk, in the primary. And that either Specter gets beat, or, has to tack so far right that he'll be uncrecognizable in the general.
I am deeply tired of Arlen Specter at this point, and his faux outrage over Eric Holder pisses me off. Dump him, PAers!
January 8, 2009 3:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
How about Philly Congressman Chaka Fattah? Two years ago I would have said I doubted the chances of an African-American with a strange sounding name winning statewide in PA, but Obama was certainly able to do it in '08, so why not early Obama ally Fattah?
I believe he and Schwarz are fairly close allies though, so I expect they would not run against each other in a primary.
January 8, 2009 3:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't know if he'd consider it, or if people think he's experienced enough, but I'd be interested if Representative Patrick Murhpy ran. He won as a Dem in a very GOP heavy area (twice now), is the first Iraq War vet in Congress, and I believe was the first member of congress outside of Illinois to endorse Obama, which took some guts back then considering the power of the Clinton machine in PA.
January 8, 2009 3:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Our Dem Senator is Bob Casey, and like Specter, he's from the Eastern part of the state. Casey is a tad too conservative for me, so I'd like to see someone from the western part of the state for balance, and to help garner that Central PA to Pittsburgh area vote....and hopefully, a liberal.
ex Pittsburgh Steeler star Franco Harris is a Democrat.
January 8, 2009 3:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Of Immaculate Reception fame?
January 8, 2009 3:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, that Franco Harris, who cast his electoral vote last month in Harrisburg for Obama. He's a good, solid Democrat and beloved in my native Western Pennsylvania. Frank would sweep Philly, carry Stiller Country in a landslide, but might struggle elsewhere. The Philly burbs and anthracite country would be critical. He would probably be a slight favorite going in.
Wagner is your all-weather candidate. He'd beat Specter, and if pro-life right-winger Pat Toomey runs, he'd do to Toomey what Casey did to Santorum. Pennsylvania has a big Democratic registration edge, but many of those Dems are pro-life Catholics. If you hold them, you win. Period.
January 8, 2009 4:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks for that inside info!
(And I think he actually did catch it. Not that it matters.)
January 8, 2009 4:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Never been any question that he caught it. The dispute was whether Oakland's Jack Tatum also touched the ball - making it a legal catch - or whether it ricocheted directly off Steeler Frenchy Fuqua -in which case it would have been illegal.
The critical element in the decision by NFL officiating head Art McNally was there were two police to protect the refs from 50,000 fans..and the game was six seconds from being over. (Talk about home field advantage!)
I was there that day, and actually talked with Frank afterwards. Will never, ever forget it.
He's a great guy. He's kind and friendly and his money is no good anywhere in Pittsburgh. Nor does anyone use his last name. He's Franco...or Frank. The fact that he's half Paisan - and commands Franco's Italian Army - makes him popular on both sides of the racial divide. Even in Pennsyltucky, where race can be quite complicated.
As far as Murphy, he's impressed me here in Washington - a lot. But he doesn't have much name recognition in the Democratic centers, and I'm not sure what kind of organization he has. He'd probably be a solid candidate in November, but I'm not sure he could win a primary against Wagner - or Franco, for that matter. Murphy is young and attractive, though, and seems to have a very bright future.
January 8, 2009 5:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, I don't think Murphy has the name recognition throughout the state (yet), but he does have a bright future. I was able to meet him while canvassing for him this past fall; he seems very genuine, and is able to connect with a lot of the working class/Catholic population in his area. He has a pretty good ground game - that is what won him his incredibly tight race in '06. I'm a graduate student in Princeton, NJ and he has had busloads of students both of his elections coming in to help him out. As you say, probably too early for him, but it will be interesting to follow.
January 8, 2009 8:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Any thoughts on Patrick Murphy?
January 8, 2009 4:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Murphy is my Congressman. He once described himself as a blue dog and may still be but he isn't like those blue dogs from red states, fortunately.
I like Murphy, but he did cast a few votes that stunk the place up. One in particular was voting for FISA. That particular vote caused me to stop supporting him financially during his second run.
I don't think he's got enough experience or name recognition yet to run for the Senate.
January 9, 2009 7:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
How about Richard Trumka...?
Former United Mine Workers President, from western PA, good progressive, effective speaker, would be a good candidate to help hold a lot of the blue collar (but culturally conservative) voters who are so important in PA.
January 8, 2009 8:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
terje,
I forgot about Trumka, I like him. It would make for an interesting election, setting the unions against the union haters.
January 9, 2009 7:08 AM | Reply | Permalink
This is something of a tangent, but I really wish that people stopped buying into the loaded language of conservatives, neo-cons, and the like. The term for someone who opposes a woman's right to choose is "anti-choice." It's not "pro-life." After all, for sure, the opposite of "pro-life" is certainly not "pro-death," no matter how hard the anti-choice people want to push it.
January 8, 2009 11:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Pro-life and pro-choice are easy labels, but you are correct, they are somewhat loaded.
Several years ago, we went through this at a major news organization and decided the issue was abortion rights. Either you were pro-abortion rights, or anti-abortion rights.
Not abortion...because you can oppose or dislike abortion and still not want to deny others their personal choice.
And certainly not life....because of the argument about when life begins.
The issue is whether you believe women should have the right to an abortion...and how that right should be limited...if at all. So it's pro- or anti-abortion rights.
But folks like Casey and Wagner proudly label themselves pro-life Democrats. And that's why Democrats who share their beliefs (who are social and economic liberals and believe the sanctity of life begins in the womb) vote for them. And that's proven to be a winning strategy in Pennsylvania. Big time.
January 9, 2009 7:51 AM | Reply | Permalink