“Problem is, Barletta already ran for the House and lost in 2002. He’s in a rodent-leaning district. I think he’d be a better choice for Governor in 2010.”
When Barletta ran in 2002, he was nowhere near as well known as Kanjorski, was outspent 2:1, and was running in a year in which Democrat gubernatorial candidate Ed Rendell was winning huge margins in the district, and Barletta still managed to get a respectable 42%. Of course, that last 8% is always the toughest to get, but Barletta could do it. And if he falls short, he can always run for governor in 2010.
My thing is that if he runs for the House, he’ll be wasted. If he wins, he’ll simply be a marginalized voice on illegals, as the media has successfully done to Tancredo (although Tancredo hasn’t always helped himself - as with his ill-advised Miami stunt). Becoming Governor of PA would be a much more high-profile bully pulpit for Barletta (and we really don’t have a bonafide “heir apparent” for the Governorship in 2010).