Kelly camp claims no sweat over Dahlkemper’s early buy

Conventional wisdom should have Republican Mike Kelly’s campaign at least a little panicked that Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper (D-3) is already on the air in the 3rd District. If that’s the case, Team Kelly isn’t showing it.

Dahlkemper’s campaign started airing its first 60-second spot this week, and has the money to stay on TV through Election Day in the northwest Pennsylvania district thanks to a health financial advantage over Kelly, a…

August 27, 2010 at 8:00 am | Comments (5)

Callahan talks education, boasts teachers’ support

ALLENTOWN— Joined by 40 teachers representing area school districts, Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan unveiled his education plan and accepted the endorsement of a major teachers’ union Wednesday, as his congressional campaign continued to hit incumbent Congressman Charlie Dent (R-15) for his votes in Washington.

“[Callahan] is proof of what a good public school education and a good early education program like Head Start can do for a kid that comes from a less than ideal…

August 27, 2010 at 7:00 am | Comments (1)

From the Blogs

LEFTOVERS: More F&M numbers, CQ forecasts, Onorato on revenue

by Dan Hirschhorn

The Franklin & Marshall College poll released Thursday didn’t just show Republicans leading in both of Pennsylvania’s statewide races. The survey also contained a litany of troubling data points for Democrats a couple months before Election Day.

Among the troublesome signs for Democrats:

•Almost 60 percent of Pennsylvanians say the state is heading in the wrong direction, while the 30 percent of residents who say things are moving in the right…

August 26, 2010 at 4:56 pm | Comments (4)

Schneller wants in on the debate

Even as he fights a legal challenge seeking to keep him off the ballot, independent Jim Schneller is letting it be known that he should have a chance to participate in campaign debates in the 7th Congressional District.

Democrat Bryan Lentz and Republican Pat Meehan already came together for their first debate last week, a half-hour affair that was broadcast Sunday evening on the Comcast Network. The two will debate several…

August 26, 2010 at 12:31 pm | Comments (10)

Poll: Toomey up 9 points

Less than 100 days before voters cast their ballots, Republican Senate candidate Pat Toomey leads Democrat Joe Sestak by nine points among likely voters, according to a new poll.

The Franklin & Marshall College survey released Thursday showed Toomey garnering 40 percent of likely voters, compared to 31 percent for Sestak. About one quarter of voters are still undecided, making for a wide open race, according to the poll.

Toomey’s edge is smaller among all…

August 26, 2010 at 10:01 am | Comments (5)

GOP memo claims 7-point edge for Fitzpatrick

A GOP-commissioned survey has found Republican Mike Fitzpatrick enjoying a seven-point lead ahead of his rematch against Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-8), according to a new poll memo.

The poll memo, released Thursday by the Fitzpatrick campaign, describes a survey conducted by the GOP firm Public Opinion Strategies on behalf of the challenger’s campaign and the National Republican Congressional Committee. The memo says Fitzpatrick is “well-positioned to retake” to Bucks County seat he lost to Murphy…

August 26, 2010 at 10:00 am | Comments (9)

Dahlkemper launches TV campaign

Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper (D-3) this week took her considerable financial advantage to the airwaves, launching a 60-second TV ad as her first reelection bid enters the homestretch.

Dahlkemper’s campaign said the ad started airing Monday in the Erie media market, but did not specify whether it was running on cable, broadcast or both. Erie is Dahlkemper’s home base, and the northwest Pennsylvania district is one of the cheaper House seats in which to advertise. Dahlkemper,…

August 26, 2010 at 9:34 am | Comments (7)

Corbett up 11 among likely voters, poll says

Republican gubernatorial hopeful Tom Corbett continues to enjoy a double-digit lead among those Pennsylvanians most likely to go to the polls in November, according to a new survey.

The Franklin & Marshall College poll released Thursday found Corbett, the state attorney general, leading Democratic nominee Dan Onorato by 11 points among likely voters, 38 percent to 27 percent. Almost a third of voters remain undecided, according to the poll.

Corbett’s edge is much smaller among…

August 26, 2010 at 9:31 am | Comments (0)

Dent targets Callahan on Bethlehem debt, taxes

ALLENTOWN—Congressman Charlie Dent (R-15) laced into his Democratic opponent’s mayoral record Wednesday, looking to draw attention to a budget deficit down the road in Bethlehem.

Holding court with reporters in front of his campaign headquarters here, Dent launched his most direct, sustained attack to date against Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan, the White House recruit challenging him in the Lehigh Valley district. Over the course of 35 minutes, he excoriated Callahan for what he called mismanagement…

August 26, 2010 at 9:00 am | Comments (2)

From the Blogs

Toomey changes verb, not intent for Social Security

by Laura Vecsey

Republican Senate hopeful Pat Toomey appeared to be trying a little revisionist history this week when he claimed he never called for privatizing Social Security.

Toomey made the statement at the end of his appearance at the Pennsylvania Press Club Monday, only to see a wave of critics calling him out. That included the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which dug up a 2003 headline from Toomey’s hometown newspaper, The Morning Call, which read: “Toomey: Privatize…

August 26, 2010 at 8:00 am | Comments (6)