Posted on 10/20/2012 5:27:34 PM PDT by kristinn
For months, Pennsylvania was considered a cakewalk for Democrats, with Sen. Bob Casey easily cruising to reelection and its 20 electoral votes in the bag for President Barack Obama.
But enter Republican Tom Smith and his personal fortune, and suddenly the Keystone State has the potential of upending the national political landscape. Buoyed by a tightening presidential race here, Smith — a no-name GOP Senate candidate and self-funding multi-millionaire — has suddenly made Republicans bullish about picking off the Keystone State to make Mitch McConnell majority leader and Mitt Romney more competitive here.
“He wasn’t on any endangered list,” Rep. Bob Brady, the Democratic congressman from the Philadelphia area, said of Casey. “But he is now.”
What’s happening in Pennsylvania reflects a national trend: Romney has risen in the polls following his first debate performance, giving him new opportunities in states seen as prime Democratic terrain. And a rapidly shifting Senate landscape has prompted GOP leaders to reassess Democratic-leaning states like Connecticut and Pennsylvania, putting the Northeast suddenly at the heart of the GOP’s dwindling hopes of winning a Senate majority
SNIP
Polls have shown there’s a reason for Republicans to believe they have some hope here. Two public polls in the past 10 days have suggested that Smith’s ad campaign — where he’s dubbed Casey as an “invisible senator” — has erased the Democrat’s double digit lead, dropping his lead down to single digits, with an Allentown Morning Call poll even putting the Democrat’s advantage at 2 points. According to a Quinnipiac poll, Romney has sliced Obama’s 12-point lead down to 4, while a GOP poll released Friday even put Romney ahead by 4 points here, and Smith up by 2.
SNIP
From Huffington Post tonight:
Mitt Romney's Campaign, RNC Have 60+ Staffers In Pennsyvania, Planning More
(Excerpt) Read more at dyn.politico.com ...
Been there...Am that!
It will be difficult due to Philly and Pittsburgh. But where I live (Philly suburbs), I see more Romney signs in front yards than I ever saw for Bush or McCain.
I see this strategy as plausible, and it forces Obama to continue to use resources in PA - where he didn’t think he’d have to. Now I read that John Bolton will be with Romney in PA (Pittsburgh I think) the day after the 3rd debate.
I still think it is slim to none that Romney takes it.
New Apple Product?
LOL! You're quick!
It would end Obama’s hopes of reelection.
I so agree with you. Boehner and McConnell both need to sit down and let a couple of real leaders take over.
Poll ping.
NRA just ran an ad. 1+ million hunters, 6+ million gun owners in PA.
Here’s one good thing I can tell you about PA. I have a huge family, and we’re all conservative, but my mother most of my siblings aren’t very political. However, this year, my siblings and my mom are more motivated than I’ve ever seen. They are arguing with strangers about politics, and trying to get as many of their misguided friends to switch their vote from Obama.
This election has certainly awoken a sleeping dragon.
PA IS IN PLAY AND VERY WINNABLE!!!!
They all but SNUCK Ryan in Pittsburgh International and he still drew a quick, enthusiastic 1000...this past July, Gov. Romney was in my little town (Irwin) and he had an overflow crowd. It’s a different “feeling” this time. Three reasons: 1) Energy. The Obama EPA HAS shut down coal powered electric plants (making our electric bills almost TRIPLE), and 2) the Marcellus Shale...fracking HAS flown under Dear Leader’s EPA and is alley regulated by the Commonwealth. That WON’T continue under a second Obama Regime. Alot of “shaleionaires” are supporting Romney; and 3) Tom Smith has criss crossed this state. He HAS done the heavy lifting to get the “R” groundswell going. In many ways I find him more conservative than Toomey. He defeated the RINO, party endorsed candidate in the primary and then spent HIS OWN money (which he made in the coal industry!) to fund his campaign.
Anecdotally there is a sign, that I see EVERYWHERE in my area...”SAVE COAL, FIRE OBAMA.” The R/R HQs cannot make more fast enough. It IS the sentiment of the masses in the western part of the state.
R/R NEEDS to carpet bomb the Pittsburgh TV market with ads (as they will be seen in eastern OH and WV as well). PA will go red INSPITE of Philly.
North of Philly, there’s nothing. This time 2008 we were swamped with Obama stickers.
Jobs.
The revenge of King Coal!
>>PA is fool’s gold!<<
Yes I remember hearing that from Joe Scarborough Oct 2010.
I wonder what Pat Toomey has to say about that.
I concur. Again, and I know this is all anecdotal, but I’m revisiting signage. I babysit for my new granddaughter 3 day a week. My daughter’s house is in the North Hills (Shaler/Etna). There are 2 Obama signs that have been out (Mt Royal Blvd) for the last couple weeks. Two! In a supposedly Democratic, closer “in” suburb (not Cranberry, McCandless, etc)!?! Yet in her little neighborhood heavy R/R signs (on the side streets) along with a few of the coveted “Coal” signs.
PA Ping!
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Thanks!
Boy, you said it exactly right.
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