Two from Pa. heading ‘Red to Blue’

Two House Democrats from the Keystone State are helping to head up the party’s campaign efforts at capturing Republican-held seats.

Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-8) and Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz (D-13) were among four co-chairs of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s “Red to Blue” program announced Monday. In addition to aiding challengers, the program also assists in open-seat races.

Congresswoman Donna Edwards (D-Md.) and Congressman Bruce Braley (D-Ia.) are also co-chairing the program.

“The DCCC is focused…

March 8, 2010 at 1:20 pm | Comments (3)

The brewing battle in the 8th (Updated)

CORRECTION APPENDED (See bottom)

TV journalist Larry Kane said this week that the race in the 8th District will be “one of the greatest congressional congressional races in the nation”—and that it will end with a “razor-thin margin.”

I agree, and former Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick will be the one to pull it out over incumbent Democrat Patrick Murphy. [Disclosure: I work for one of Murphy's Republican opponents, former Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick.] Overnight…

February 24, 2010 at 12:27 pm | Comments (13)

LEFTOVERS: NEPA unions for Specter, Sestak bests him on environement, Carlineo in ‘Young Guns’

A few items slipped by us earlier in the week.

A couple unions of teachers and firefighters in northeast Pennsylvania endorsed Senator Arlen Specter’s reelection bid. The incumbent’s been picking up a bunch of labor endorsements recently, and the latest came from unions representing almost 2,000 workers. “Senator Specter has a long and outstanding history of supporting firefighters, labor, and working families in out state and nation,” Dave Gervasi, president of the Northeast Pennsylvania Professional…

February 23, 2010 at 5:11 pm | Comments (3)

LEFTOVERS: Dems hit Fitzpatrick, A Philly ward backs Hoeffel & Saidel

Bucks County Democrats on Wednesday criticized former Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick for claiming he has “no interest in becoming a professional politician,” unveiling a Web video that juxtaposes the comment with 20 years worth of electoral campaigning as both a candidate and a political operative.

“It’s hard to believe, but Congressman Fitzpatrick, a guy who has been running for political office for 20 years, claimed that he has ‘no interest in becoming a professional politician,’” Neil…

February 10, 2010 at 8:30 pm | Comments (9)

A crowded 8th District primary comes to Philly

CORRECTION APPENDED (See bottom)

PHILADELPHIA—A crowded field of Republican candidates in the 8th Congressional District took on issues of economic and foreign policy here Tuesday, taking turns courting a group of conservative activists at a forum hosted by a coalition of Tea Party groups.

On an evening when candidates from half-a-dozen districts took a stage, the appearance of five candidates underscored again that the primary to take on Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-8) remains packed, even…

February 9, 2010 at 10:49 pm | Comments (19)

Fitzpatrick challenges Murphy on campaign spending

Republican Mike Fitzpatrick on Monday challenged Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-8) to limit himself to spending $1 million in his quest for a third term this year, saying that such a cap would “show respect to the residents of the 8th District who are, in many cases, struggling just to make ends meet.”

The call for all 8th District candidates to limit their electoral seems unlikely to go anywhere; Murphy already had almost $850,000…

February 1, 2010 at 11:47 pm | Comments (8)

In newly-competitive contest, Murphy has $848K

Facing the prospect of a viable Republican challenge that seemed remote only weeks ago, Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-8) is in the process of refilling campaign coffers that were greatly depleted by a late spending push in 2008.

Murphy raised about $321,000 in the last three months of 2009, finishing the year with about $848,000 in cash on hand, according to campaign finance data. Former Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick, who Murphy unseated in 2006,…

February 1, 2010 at 9:30 am | Comments (5)

Fitzpatrick says he wants open primary

Three Republicans have already left the primary field to make room for him, but former Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick says he’s not asking anyone to get out.

Fitzpatrick, who’s seeking a rematch against Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-8), told The Bucks County Courier Times this week that he’d like the local party to forgo a formal endorsement in the interest of having an open primary.

“I am calling for an open primary,” Fitzpatrick said.…

January 29, 2010 at 11:32 am | Comments (9)

Another Republican steps aside for Fitzpatrick

Four days after Republican Mike Fitzpatrick said he’d try and retake the 8th District House seat he lost in 2006, a second GOP candidate in the race dropped out to support the former congressman.

Iraq War veteran Dean Malik made his announcement through Fitzpatrick’s campaign, which did not include a statement from him in a release on Wednesday. Republican Rob Mitchell withdrew from the race even before Fitzpatrick’s announcement last weekend and said…

January 27, 2010 at 10:47 pm | Comments (2)

Blue Dogs get spending-freeze-fever

With the political tides seeming to turn against their party and President Obama’s first State of the Union looming, some moderate Democrats from the Keystone State are quickly becoming enamored with the concept of a spending freeze.

Shortly before word surfaced of Obama’s own proposed spending freeze, Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper (D-3) and Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-8) joined other members of the Blue Dog caucus—a group of Democrats claiming fiscally conservative credentials—in writing…

January 26, 2010 at 6:42 pm | Comments (2)