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Sunday, August 28, 2005

PA-18: Hafer's Out

Posted by Tim Tagaris

Backing out of races is bit of an emerging pattern with Barbara Hafer, but the latest news is that she will soon decline to run for Congress in Pennsylvania 18th Congressional District. Earlier this year, former Republican turned Democrat Barbara Hafer started a bid for U.S. Senate in the Democratic Primary. For several days before the Bob Casey announcement, Hafer played hard ball with the Casey campaign, releasing polling that showed her with a good chance to beat Santorum and declaring she was in the race to stay. Hours after Casey announced, she dropped out.

Speculation started in the weeks following that she might make a congressional bid. Then she started up a committee that allowed her to take contributions and most thought she was officially in.

The Pittsburgh Tribune reported last week that Hafer was wishy-washy on the race.

Could Barbara Hafer be having second thoughts about a congressional bid? The former state treasurer and one-time Allegheny County commissioner last month all but declared she would challenge Republican U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy of Upper St. Clair. Hafer even has formed a congressional campaign finance committee, which allows her to accept contributions for the race next year.

But political insiders suggested last week that Hafer, a former Republican turned Democrat, might be reconsidering a challenge to Murphy because of family reasons.

PoliticsPA declared it all but official this afternoon.

Republican-turned-Democrat former Treasurer Barbara Hafer has decided against running for Congress in the 18th District. She will likely soon issue a statement about her decision, claiming that the health of her husband and her business weighed heavily against this run, or another run for Lt. Governor or any other office.

I hope her husband makes a speedy recovery from whatever ails him, but I personally say good riddance. Sure, she is pro-choice--for many Democrats that was the sole reason they wanted her to run against Bob Casey. But Barbara Hafer is a bit of an opportunist. She was a Democrat, then turned Republican (making a career as a GOP hatchet-woman), and after she failed to get Republican establishment backing in a potential 2002 gubernatorial bid against Ed Rendell, she switched her political party out of spite. She was barely a Democrat for a few weeks before speculation began that she did so to take on Rick Santorum--and she wanted to, only to be pushed out at the 11th hour.

Posted at 05:01 PM in Pennsylvania | Technorati

Comments

Hopefully Mrs. Hafer's husban recovers very soon. Barbara Hafer has a bright future in this party and it would be shame if she never is able to hold public office again.

Posted by: jkfp2004 at August 28, 2005 05:34 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment

Casey hasn't won the nomination yet. Chuck Pennacchio's grassroots support is growing more everyday.

This large online poll shows that Democrats want Pennacchio as their candidate; http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/8/25/184849/196

As of today, with over 1000 respondents, 57% say they'll support Chuck. While not a scientific poll, it shows that despite Chuck's scant newspaper coverage, his lack of PA party leader endorsements, and his lack of big special interest dollars (because he won't take money from PACs), Chuck has a strong following.

Because Chuck's supporters actually believe in him, we will campaign for him. Who has more money now is irrelevant. If Chuck wins the primary, he'll receive national media attention and Democrats from all across the country will send him contributions.

www.chuck2006.com

I'd like to invite anyone who is interested in helping this amazing progressive candidate to our yahoo group:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Pennacchio_for_Pennsylvania/

Posted by: Dave at September 4, 2005 06:09 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment