It would seem that prosecutors are the big theme of Pennsylvania GOP races in 2010:
It’s interesting to hear that ex-U.S. Atty Tom Marino (R) is again considering a run against Rep. Chris Carney (D-PA). Besides the fact that he’d be a top-rate challenger to Carney (the GOP has yet to find any high-profile takers), he’d also be the third Bush-era U.S. Atty to consider a Cong. bid in PA this cycle.
Pat Meehan (R), who had been a GOV candidate, dropped out of that race earlier this year and opted to run for Rep. Joe Sestak’s (D) open seat. Meanwhile, Mary Beth Buchanan (R) was reported to have been considering a bid against Rep. Jason Altmire (D), but that talk has died down as of late. …
But all of these candidates would be formidable challengers, and with AG Tom Corbett (R) the early leading GOP GOV contender, ’10 could be a very law-and-order contest up-and-down the ballot in PA.
I think we both fall on the side of Jason Altmire in the 4th. He has consistently been willing to stand up to Pelosi, unlike the fake Blue Dog in our district. (Patrick Murphy has supported every big spending bill & amendment he could find since he’s been in office, yet he still claims he’s a moderate.) Plus, Buchanan has a less-than-stellar reputation for going after doctors when treating patients with chronic pain. I don’t want a law-and-order type whose view of upping her conviction record is just to make more crimes.
A solid challenge to Carney would be interesting. He’s not horrible and he’s not great as a so-called Blue Dog. Since he hasn’t been completely consist on the gun issue, I’d be fine in seeing him go. (I wouldn’t call him inconsistent as far as unaware, at least based on my own observations. For his district, unaware isn’t good enough.)