Joe Hoeffle's Senate race is upgraded to top-tier by DSCC

[madfloridian]

From the email just now:

http://www.hoeffelforsenate.com/

DSCC Upgrades Race to Top-Tier, Joe Campaigns Across Northern Tier, Clinton and Gore Add Presidential Tier

DSCC Upgrades Race to Top-Tier
Pennsylvania statewide politics has a way of sneaking up on you. It's a huge and diverse state. One region doesn't hear much about what's going on in another part of the state. Unlike a presidential campaign which the whole country hears about 24 hours-a-day for months and even years before the election, Pennsylvania races only attract broad news media attention near the very end. The whole battle comes down to that last month before Election Day when the press finally pays attention and, most importantly, millions of dollars in paid advertising reach the great majority of voters.

That's why smart political observers look at what's going on underneath the headlines to see the shape of things to come. And that's why U.S. Senator Jon Corzine (D-NJ), Chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) this week upgraded the Pennsylvania Senate race to the top-tier of Democratic takeover opportunities.

Here's some of what Corzine wrote in a memo to top Democratic donors:

For several months now, the DSCC has been very closely watching the senate race in Pennsylvania between incumbent Senator Arlen Specter and Democratic challenger Congressman Joe Hoeffel. Conventional wisdom immediately following the closer-than-expected Republican primary was that Specter would easily win re-election.

Over the last few months, however, the dynamics of this race have shifted dramatically, forcing many to re-evaluate their views. We all knew that Specter was bruised and battered from his vicious primary race. What we did not anticipate, however, was how strong of a campaign Joe Hoeffel would run and how quickly he would resonate with the people of Pennsylvania .

For example, the Human Rights Campaign and the Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police switched their support from Specter to Hoeffel. This is on top of the support he already enjoyed from the Pittsburgh Fraternal Order of Police, Move On.Org, the Sierra Club and a good deal of organized labor. Hoeffel also proved he could raise the money to compete, pocketing nearly $1.1 million last quarter, and attract national Democratic leaders such as Howard Dean, Hillary Clinton, Ed Rendell, and in late August, former president Bill Clinton to campaign on his behalf. No other senate race in the country has attracted such a cadre of political star power."

[WI_DEM]

1. Terrific

If Dems are to win back the Senate this seat could be crucial. It is certainly doable.

[Cobia]

2. I dunno

Specter isn't right wing.

But he stil must go.

Hoeffel is better by far.

[enough]

3. As a Pennsylvanian, Specter lost me forever

when he participated in the push to give Clarence Thomas a lifetime chair in a place where he can effect the history of the United States for another three or four decades.

THEN, a couple years later, Specter said something smarmy about how he might have acted differently "if he had known" how conservative a Justice Thomas would turn out to be. This sort of disingenuous meaningless twisting in the wind is typical Specter. He will say and do anything that the moment seems to demand.

(oops, I meant to reply to post #2.) Anyway. It's great that the Dems will be putting some muscle into this race. I haven't forgiven them for leaving Wofford high and dry in 2002, and letting him loose that squeaker House race to the Republican clone Gerlach, who will probably hold the seat now for the next 20 years.

[madfloridian]

4. Yep, we are even fighting back against DeLay now.

The DCCC should declare Morrison's race top tier in TX. Maybe Dean's rally with him tomorrow will help. He has done so well, and DeLay is starting to have to work a little.

[blue neen]

6. As a fellow PA'er, I was appalled when Specter was Bush Sr.'s henchman

against Anita Hill. I'd love to see Specter lose this race. AND THEN WE CAN GO AFTER SANTORUM...deliver us from that man.

[terrya]

5. Specter is this vulnerable? Wow. How canny do you think Corzine is?

Is this for real? Good news...if this is doable, that's 2 pickup seats right there...Obama and the Pennsylvania seat.