Since our theme of the week has been GOP recruitment disasters (and the hits just keep on coming), here’s a story that slipped through the cracks: Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood, whom the Philadelphia Daily News called “the media-savvy police chief with off-the-chart name recognition”, recently declared that he’d take a pass on challenging freshman Dem incumbent Rep. Joe Sestak in the blue-trending Philly suburbs.
If the GOP can’t knock of Admiral Sestak next year (and such a task would be a mean feat, even with a decent recruit), this seat will be ceded to Sestak for a long, long time.
With the local and national GOP in utter shambles, it’s no wonder that outfits like CQ rate this race as “Safe Democrat”.
What the Rs and the MSM may not realize is that retired Admiral Sestak has huge and deep roots in the District. His mother taught school there locally for about 40 years, and many voters were taught by her or knew of her, and recall her fondly. He is also one of about 7 or 8 siblings – and many voters would ask “Are you related to X Sestak?” When he replied that X is my sister or X is my brother, the voter, who had known the sibling, had an immediate connection with the candidate, now Congressman.
Personally, I am hoping he thrives in Congress and decides to run for the U.S. Senate in 2010, when Specter’s seat is up. [Specter claims he plans to run for reelection, but I suspect he is planning to try to pass his seat off to his son, Shanin, at the last minute like Rep. Lipinski or others have done. Specter is setting people up – including the anti-abortion wing of the PA GOP, for a last-minute surprise on filing day for the 2010 primary, when the filing petitions handed in contain the name Shanin Specter and not Arlen Specter – too late for any other Republican to file.]
…..to Gerlach in PA-06? That guy has more lives than Shirley McClane.
How about PA-08? Is Murphy being seriously contested? I wouldn’t be surprised if Fitzpatrick didn’t go for a rematch.