PA-Sen: Barletta is running

[The Other Castro]

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http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/capitolinq/US-Rep-Pat-Meehan-mulling-challenge-to-Sen-Bob-Casey-per-source.html

[pikachu]

Would be a strong candidate, but at the end of the day, I think that 2018 is going to be the wrong year for a Republican to run in a swing state if they actually want to win.

[morgieb]

Big mistake IMO. Not only does he probably lose to Casey, it puts his House seat under jepoardy.

[MarkD]

Meehan will not likely have a clean shot at winning the Republican primary. He won't have the conservative wing of the party wholeheartedly rooting for him. He's definitely a moderate Republican; his voting record will remind many Republicans of being just like Arlen Specter's.

[windjammer]

He's not going to run, he wants too much to keep his safe gerrymandered seat.

[Heisenberg]

He's not going to run, he wants too much to keep his safe gerrymandered seat.

It may not be safe for him in coming years, it was only R+1 before the election and Clinton outright won it last month.

[jamestroll]

solid gop pickup! there is no way that any Democrat can win a Pennsylvania Senate contest because Trump won it in 2016, and all states in 2016 voted the same party for president and senate!!!!!!

.......

[windjammer]

He's not going to run, he wants too much to keep his safe gerrymandered seat.

It may not be safe for him in coming years, it was only R+1 before the election and Clinton outright won it last month.

Yes but it is still heavily republican downballot I suppose.

[libertpaulian]

Charlie Dent would be a better fit to take on Casey.

[Pandaguineapig]

He or Charlie dent would be the best gets for the senate race. I would wonder if Rick Santorum would be interested in a rematch as he has had his reputation somewhat recover since 2006 and the state has trended to the right

[libertpaulian]

He or Charlie dent would be the best gets for the senate race. I would wonder if Rick Santorum would be interested in a rematch as he has had his reputation somewhat recover since 2006 and the state has trended to the right

A majority of Pennsylvanians support gay marriage now.  He'd have to say "I oppose it as a traditionalist Catholic, but we need to move on from this ruling" in order to even have a chance at a political miracle, let alone an actual win.

[Pandaguineapig]

He or Charlie dent would be the best gets for the senate race. I would wonder if Rick Santorum would be interested in a rematch as he has had his reputation somewhat recover since 2006 and the state has trended to the right

A majority of Pennsylvanians support gay marriage now.  He'd have to say "I oppose it as a traditionalist Catholic, but we need to move on from this ruling" in order to even have a chance at a political miracle, let alone an actual win.

Yes, which is why most republicans running in 2016 including Trump and Pence said that they would not change the ruling. In addition I think most people now view him as a social conservative who ran for president rather than as the hardcore anti-gay senator

[100% pro-life no matter what]

Charlie Dent would be a better fit to take on Casey.

Frankly, Charlie Dent isn't a significant improvement on Bob Casey.  I would rather lower our odds of winning slightly (I don't think it even would in a state with a pro-life tradition and a nominally pro-life Democratic candidate) for a chance at a real conservative.  It doesn't have to be a Freedom Caucus type, but it does have to be a solid conservative.  Why not Costello or Fitzpatrick?

[SATW]

Meehan would be a good candidate, I think. I agree that Dent would prob be better. What do you guys think of Ryan Costello? I heard he was interested in Governor but he could be an interesting senate choice as well.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

It looks like after Bayh, Republicans aren't going to be cowed by the famous name anymore.


There is also another thing working against Casey. He attacked Santorum for breaking his term limit pledge and running for a third term. Granted, I don't think Casey explicitly made such a pledge, but he has been there twelve years and I would presume based on Trumps win in the state that there is much dissatisfaction, precisely among the working class voters that were Casey's base.

All that said, Meehan might very well not be the best candidate to take advantage of that.

I would like to see Jim Gerlach make a comeback. He is a seasoned campaigner who survived both 2006 and 2008 in a Kerry district.

[smoltchanov]

Charlie Dent would be a better fit to take on Casey.

Frankly, Charlie Dent isn't a significant improvement on Bob Casey.  I would rather lower our odds of winning slightly (I don't think it even would in a state with a pro-life tradition and a nominally pro-life Democratic candidate) for a chance at a real conservative.  It doesn't have to be a Freedom Caucus type, but it does have to be a solid conservative.  Why not Costello or Fitzpatrick?

I don't see big difference between Dent and Costello, except on abortion issue (where i, naturally, prefer pro-choice position)

[Kingpoleon]

I don't see big difference between Dent and Costello, except on abortion issue (where i, naturally, prefer pro-choice position)

Costello is probably one of the twenty-five most moderate Republicans in the House, whereas Dent is probably in the top three(along with Ileana Ros-Lehtinehen and Richard Hanna).

[100% pro-life no matter what]

I don't see big difference between Dent and Costello, except on abortion issue (where i, naturally, prefer pro-choice position)

Costello is probably one of the twenty-five most moderate Republicans in the House, whereas Dent is probably in the top three(along with Ileana Ros-Lehtinehen and Richard Hanna).

Dold has to be more liberal than IRL, as does Freilinghuysen.  I know Dold is retiring.  In my opinion, if one is not pro-life, they are not a Republican or a conservative.

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

I don't see big difference between Dent and Costello, except on abortion issue (where i, naturally, prefer pro-choice position)

Costello is probably one of the twenty-five most moderate Republicans in the House, whereas Dent is probably in the top three(along with Ileana Ros-Lehtinehen and Richard Hanna).

Dold has to be more liberal than IRL, as does Freilinghuysen.  I know Dold is retiring.  In my opinion, if one is not pro-life, they are not a Republican or a conservative.

Dold lost re-election. That's not retiring. Retiring is leaving of your own free will.

And, I'm sorry, but how someone feels about Abortion does not dictate how they feel about other political issues.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Wolf and Bob Casey should win by around 5-7 points, no need to worry.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

After this last election, I would be shocked if Bob Casey doesn't take this race seriously. All he needs to do is flash his labor credentials. This would be one of the easiest campaigns to ever manage. Hopefully the Philly Dems are angry enough to turnout.

[pikachu]

I can't see Casey losing unless Trump's very popular. One important thing to remember is that if Trump's unpopular, any GOP congressman who runs will be smeared with any Trump legislation that's passed in the next two years like we saw with Obamacare in 2010.

[jamestroll]

After this last election, I would be shocked if Bob Casey doesn't take this race seriously. All he needs to do is flash his labor credentials. This would be one of the easiest campaigns to ever manage. Hopefully the Philly Dems are angry enough to turnout.

From reading this site and looking at Republican comments on facebook, you would think that Casey, Stabenow and Baldwin have no chance to win re-election.

In midterms, angry voters will turn out.. in 2018 it is more likely Democrats will be angry.

But that is so easy to say in Dec 2016.

[smoltchanov]

I don't see big difference between Dent and Costello, except on abortion issue (where i, naturally, prefer pro-choice position)

Costello is probably one of the twenty-five most moderate Republicans in the House, whereas Dent is probably in the top three(along with Ileana Ros-Lehtinehen and Richard Hanna).

Dold has to be more liberal than IRL, as does Freilinghuysen.  I know Dold is retiring.  In my opinion, if one is not pro-life, they are not a Republican or a conservative.

Bullsh*t. Governors Baker and Scott, Senator Collins and dozens state legislators come to mind immediately. Plus - hundreds former Republican politicians of very high caliber. Right-wing idiocy.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

I don't see big difference between Dent and Costello, except on abortion issue (where i, naturally, prefer pro-choice position)

Costello is probably one of the twenty-five most moderate Republicans in the House, whereas Dent is probably in the top three(along with Ileana Ros-Lehtinehen and Richard Hanna).

Dold has to be more liberal than IRL, as does Freilinghuysen.  I know Dold is retiring.  In my opinion, if one is not pro-life, they are not a Republican or a conservative.

Bullsh*t. Governors Baker and Scott, Senator Collins and dozens state legislators come to mind immediately. Plus - hundreds former Republican politicians of very high caliber. Right-wing idiocy.

Two terrible people and mediocre Senator...great examples!