SE Pennsylvania: Congressional Battleground

Southeastern Pennsylvania is a definite battleground for control of Congress this year. Three seats currently held by the GOP are in play and being strongly contested by Democrats: the 6th, 7th, and 8th Congressional Districts. They have been receiving lots of attention in the media, from interest groups, the Parties, and bloggers. The Inquirer has an article this morning about the three Republicans and their sudden desires to separate themselves from George Bush. Compare this with my previous article about Santorum and Swann sucking up to Bush and we have a picture of a fractured Republican slate.

Mike Fitzpatrick, a one term incumbent in Buck's County's Eighth District, two term incumbent Jim Gerlach in the Sixth, and long time incumbent Curt Weldon in Delaware County's Seventh are all seen as highly vulnerable. They have all voted strongly with their Party leaders and President Bush. They have all relied on questionable ties for fundraising. They are all now trying to distance themselves now that they have all the money.

In May, Gerlach and Fitzpatrick joined the president at a congressional fund-raiser in Philadelphia. Throughout the summer, administration officials have come to the region at the congressmen's behest.

It's interesting how they didn't feel this sudden independent feeling when it came to voting for the war, the bankruptcy bill, for weakened ethics rules, etc. They didn't feel it last spring as they welcomed the Administration's assistance in raising campaign cash. Only now, as they near election day and their opponents are pinning Bush's visage all over their records, are they attempting to assert their independence.

"Despite their election-year attempts to run as far as they can from President Bush, all three show a clear pattern of loyalty to the failed Republican agenda," said Jennifer Psaki, a spokeswoman for the national Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

You can run men but you cannot hide. Voters are angry. They're angry that none of you has held this Administration accountable. They are angry that there's no competence in this government, no oversight from this Congress, no plan for redeploying forces from Iraq. They're angry about a Do Nothing Congress and Do Nothing Congressmen.

Meanwhile we get this quote from Gerlach:

"There have been a number of issues I support this president on and think he's done a great job on, and there are others that I disagree with the president on"

Truth is Gerlach supports most of Bush's failed policies. He disagrees with him on stem cell research, immigration, and gay marriage. Three issues. I call that being in Bush's back pocket. He's also used Tom DeLay and Karl Rove to raise campaign money.

Patrick Murphy is running against Fitzpatrick in the 8th, Joe Sestak is running in the 7th, and Lois Murphy in the 6th.

Curt Weldon seems lately to be from another planet. His bizarre behavior about Able Danger and other issues makes us believe he's been drinking too long from the Potomac River.

The bottom line is these three Congressmen have helped this Congress pass some very bad legislation. Because they elect the House leadership (TomDeLay and such) they're part of the problem, regardless of some individual votes. The House Committees which have refused to exercise oversight, demand accountability and iinvestigate wrongdoing and corruption owe their authority to these three men. We'll never clean up the mess in Washington if they are re-elected.