PA-Sen: Sestak Tells Supporters That He Intends to Challenge Specter

[ccharles000]

Fresh from TPM:

"He intends to get in the race," says Meg Infantino, the Congressman's sister, who works at Sestak for Congress. "In the not too distant future, he will sit down with his wife and daughter to make the final decision." <...>
Earlier today, a Sestak volunteer and contributor received a handwritten note from Sestak himself, announcing his intent to run and asking for a contribution. The source provided TPMDC a scan of the letter.

The note says, "I am writing you as especially dear supporters to let you know I intend to run for the U.S. Senate...my candidacy's credibility will have much to do with my fundraising success by the 30 June FEC filing deadline at the end of this quarter. Would you help me bring the change for the future we Pennsylvanians need"

Infantino confirms that the note is genuine and that "Joe Sestak has written a number of similar notes."

It seems that the DSCC's efforts to keep the field clear for Specter have not produced the intended result, even with Specter seemingly becoming more comfortably in his new baby blue threads as of late. Perhaps Sestak was encouraged by a recent labor-commissioned poll showing Specter ahead by only 55-34 (Sestak's best margin yet).

Sestak's 7th District in suburban Philadelphia used to be a Republican stronghold, but it has veered sharply to the left in recent elections; while John Kerry won the district by six points in 2004 (an improvement over Al Gore's four-point win in 2000), Obama crushed McCain by 13% in the 7th CD last year. While the GOP will likely have a bench of candidates to choose from should Sestak take the plunge, the emerging consensus is that state Rep. Bryan Lentz, an Iraq War veteran who briefly ran for this seat in 2006, will be the Democratic flag bearer with Sestak out of the picture.

http://www.swingstateproject.com/diary/5018/pasen-sestak-tells-supporters-that-he-will-challenge-specter

[w4rma]

1. Very good. (nt)

[invictus]

2. Excellent!

nt

[Wednesdays]

3. K&R

:kick:

[Jim Lane]

4. It's a damn shame that the polls give Specter a 21-point lead

We can hope that that's mostly name recognition and that Sestak can make up a lot of ground once the campaign gets rolling.

[Dinger]

5. I Think It Is Name Recognition

And I sincerely hope Sestak kicks *'s ass!

[Zodiak]

6. Good

I think that we need to pressure conservative Democrats wherever they reside. I would like to see every one of them run against a populist Democrat (not necessarily a liberal) and see which one fares better against the GOP. If anything, to let them know there are political consequences to brazenly defying the party platform and the agenda of the new POTUS.