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Gerlach says Senate run ‘off the table’
Congressman Jim Gerlach (R-6) told The Morning Call that he won’t be running for Senate next fall, but that he’ll decide next month whether he’ll try to defend his House seat or run for governor.
“[A Senate run] is pretty much off the table,” said Gerlach, now in his fourth term.
The announcement leaves Republican Pat Toomey without any significant opposition, for now, in the party’s Senate primary.
As for the governor race, many GOPers have already rallied around Attorney General Tom Corbett, leaving Gerlach’s potential candidacy a long shot.
“It’s up to him,” state party chairman Robert Gleason Jr. told The Morning Call. “This is America, you make your own decision.” But Gleason said he told Gerlach he’d prefer the congressman to run for re-election.
June 24, 2009 at 3:16 pm
Tags: Jim Gerlach, PA-6, Pat Toomey, Tom Corbett
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Delco Dandy
Jun 24th, 2009
He would have gotten steam rolled.
David Diano
Jun 25th, 2009
Dandy-
Hard to say. Gerlach is certainly having trouble in an increasingly Dem district, but he’s moderate enough to have some statewide appeal. Toomey has a big jump on him in fundraising, name recognition and the experience of running a statewide campaign in 2004.
Corbett seems to have some chinks in his armor (see discussion elsewhere about Michael Long).
This a volatile political year. What I haven’t seen addressed is how some of the potential Senate, Governor and Lt Governor combinations fit together.
What happens if a right-wing extremist like Toomey is paired with a moderate Governor (maybe even pro-choice)?
What happens if the winning Dem Governor primary candidate teams with a losing Sestak, but then has to re-team up with Specter for the general election? Awkward!!
Also, a lot of 2010 politics will be decided by the success (or failure) of Obama’s plans. If the economy picks up and the monthly job numbers turn positive, the Dems will do well.