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Memory lane: Hafer’s 2003 party-switch

In reading up for Monday’s story on Barbara Hafer, we stumbled upon this gem of an article from The Post-Gazette in late 2003.

It covers Hafer’s switch back to the Democratic Party after more than 25 years in the GOP. At the time, she was thinking about running against then-Senator Rick Santorum in 2006. Here’s a fun excerpt:

The mutual courtship between Hafer and the Democrats began with her startling decision to endorse Rendell in his 2002 battle for governor against former state Attorney General Mike Fisher, now a U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals judge. Hafer had started out that election cycle as a rival to Fisher for the GOP nomination, but she withdrew from the race after the party’s hierarchy lined up behind Fisher.

She compounded her apostasy with a decision last year to endorse then-Controller Dan Onorato in his successful bid to unseat Jim Roddey for Allegheny County chief executive. Hafer also boosted Onorato’s effort, and perhaps her own chances of party support in 2006, with a $50,000 campaign contribution.

It will be interesting to see how party leaders respond to her this time around. Naturally, she has some favors she can call in.

February 16, 2010 at 12:55 pm

--Dan Hirschhorn

Tags: Barbara Hafer, PA-12

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