quote: Originally posted by: UvilleDemChair "Will Lois Murphy run again? A re-emergance of Wofford? Chesco Commishioner Andy Dinniman? thoughts?"
Sometimes losing candidates are shunned, but I think that Democrats may give Murphy another shot since she came so close to knocking off an sitting member of Congress.
quote: Originally posted by: Go Eagles "Does it really matter who runs? Gerlach will have it in the bag"
In the bag? How so? What will he do this term that he didn't do last time? His incumbency didn't increase his winning percentage by very much from two years before. When there is blood in the water, the sharks will come.
Isn't Dinneman from West Chester? If he is, he can't run against Gerlach b/c West Chester is Joe Pitts' seat. That being said, Dinneman would be a great candidate if he isn't from WC. The Montco part of the District has proven to be a hot bed for Democrats running against Gerlach, and if a Dem can be respectable in Chester Co, Gerlach is in trouble.
Anybody who thinks Gerlach is a safe incumbant is nuts. He's the most vulnerable of any congressman in Pennsylvania. I really think Gerlach could find himself on the losing end this time, and I say that after thinking Wofford and Murphy would lose by wider margins than they actually lost.
You're right---Murphy is running full steam ahead. Dinniman actually COULD run if he wanted to, since PA's residency requirements for Congress only require the candidate to live in the Commonwealth, not the district. Let's not forget that Allyson Schwartz didn't live in the 13th until late winter before the primary. Unfortunately, it looks like Murphy will have a primary challenge from Mike Leibowitz, and there may be a Green candidate to boot.
Primary or none, Green candidate or none, Dan Wofford, Joe Driscoll, and State Senators Connie Williams and Mike O'Pake would all beat Gerlach, but there's one small problem---none of these will run. It's a shame Wofford got cold feet going into 2004.
Actually, I checked the Congressional Reapportionment Plan and the Chester County Commissioners website to discover that Dinniman DOES live in the 6th CD, since he's a West Whiteland resident. Don't expect him to run for Congress; maybe now that Senator Thompson has left us, he can run for the 19th SD (if Wofford doesn't---and let's not count on Wofford too much.)
