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According to a story in Roll Call Bucks County Rep. Patrick Murphy (PA-8) is looking at taking on Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) in 2010. His top aide said "he’s looking at it very strongly right now.”
Murphy is an Iraq war vet who easily won a 2nd term in Congress taking 57% of the vote in November. He is a proven fundraiser raking in almost $4 million this cycle and would probably need at least $20 million for a Senate bid. He has some local ties being a graduate of Kings College and his brother JJ Murphy is the Wilkes-Barre City Administrator. JJ is an Air Force Reserve officer who was recently called up to active duty and deployed to the Horn of Africa. Another local connection is that he once told me that he reads my blog.
The buzz about Chris Matthews running for the seat took a hit when Politico reported he has signed a long-term contract with MSNBC to keep hosting Hardball. Some other reports say he is house shopping in Philadelphia and the latest Rasmussen poll has him trailing by just three percentage points, 46% to 43%. Other polls have him way down. The crew over at PAWaterCooler have had a collective tingle going up their legs at the possibility and will be very disappointed if he doesn't make the race. We will see. The Rain Man pointed out something I didn't even think of. Imagine Tweety at a confirmation hearing grilling a nominee and telling the guy "you don't know what you're talking about." Pat Toomey came close to knocking off Specter in the 2004 Republican primary ( he may try again) and Tweety made mince meat of him on an appearance his show. What a great debate that would be!
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If Matthews decides not to make the Senate primary a circus another serious candidate is Allyson Schwartz.
3 comments:
I'm not a fan of Specter, but Murphy will get eaten alive.
Gort,
I think Matthews has a better chance going on SNL and recreating the Phil Hartman Frankenstein character...
Just in time for Christmas:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qu3HgeMAxkI
Patrick Murphy would get eaten alive by matthews or Alison "let the Schwartz be with you" in a debate. (but no one watches Senate debates yet alone senate primary debates) It is shame the smarter and cooler brother is in Wilkes barre. Murphy will be pressured to stay in his seat, becuase the GOp could easily take it back. Tom manion could run again and defeat any other democrat. Even if murphy holds on he could lose to bucks county commissoner Jim Cawley. and if Mike Fitzpatrick gets a clean bill of health, he will beat Murphy easily.
So i see a 3 way primary between matthews (Schwartz or murphy) and someone out west perhaps Mike Doyle. The westerner could sneak in if he rallies non philly dems and pro life dems. I can see Casey making a late endorsement. I dont see Murphy ties to NEPA halping him that much.
Either Way Specter Wins unless he loses a primary but i doubt Toomey has the juice
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