Democrats take aim at Santorum

[Joy Anne]

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=13492595&BRD=2212&PAG=461&dept_id=465812&rfi=6

"When U.S. Rep. Joe Hoeffel ended a thundering speech Saturday by asking "Who wants to beat Rick Santorum?", it capped two days of banter at a Democratic party gathering over who will challenge the Republican senator in two years. . . .

"Names that have surfaced publicly are Hoeffel and state Treasurer Barbara Hafer, both of whom are leaving office _ Hoeffel ran unsuccessfully against Pennsylvania's other senator, Arlen Specter, and Hafer has reached the office's two-term limit. . . .

"Some Democrats wistfully mentioned the name of Robert P. Casey Jr., the state's two-term auditor general and the late governor's son who last month garnered a state record of 3.3 million votes to succeed Hafer as treasurer. . . .

"State Democratic party chairman T.J. Rooney said several more people have privately expressed interest, although he would not disclose their identities. . . ."

I posed the Who should run? question at a party of Democrats (including at least one state committeeperson) last night, and the unanimous response was Hafer. So here in the midstate, Hafer seems to be considered a done deal.