Jim Geraghty looks at GOP Fundraising

There’s some good, but he notes that in some of our key races, they are coming up short. Let me highlight the PA candidates:

Mike Kelly looks like he has the skills to be a strong challenger inPennsylvania’s 3rd District. It’s not a terribly expensive district, but a10-to-1 cash-on-hand advantage for incumbent Kathy Dahlkemper is ominous.

In the neighboring 4th District, Jason Altmire is on everybody’s list of vulnerable Democrats to watch, but GOP challenger Keith Rofkus has to make up a 7-to-1 cash-on-hand disadvantage.

In Pennsylvania’s 8th District, I have little doubt that Mike Fitzpatrickwill give incumbent Democrat Patrick Murphy a tough challenge, but he’s still looking at a 3-to-1 cash-on-hand disadvantage.

And in the 10th District, Tom Marino has only about $11,000 on hand, going up against Chris Carney, another incumbent who looks beatable under the right circumstances.

I don’t think money is going to be as important in this election, since the Democrats are doing a bang up job of destroying their brand among likely voters without the GOP having to spend a dime. But the role of money in elections still can’t be discounted. If Altmire holds on to his seat, I won’t be that disaffected, since Altmire has stood up to Pelosi and the White House and voted like a true Blue Dog.

Murphy, on the other hand, might wear the Blue Dog label, but he is no blue dog. But he is an excellent fundraiser, much of it coming from outside the district. Fitz has an uphill battle, since he not only has to overcome Murphy’s cash advantage, but has to overcome a Democratic registration edge in his district. This is a critical election for the 8th District, since if we can’t remove Murphy now, he’ll be dug in like a tick, and will be impossible to remove with the advantage of incumbency.