Last Push Before Elections Underway

  

November 6, 2006 -- Gov. Ed Rendell was all over town Sunday, and candidates were back on the trail early Monday morning, barnstorming Philadelphia.

This weekend Rendell toured the suburbs as well with U.S. senate candidate Bob Casey and a host of the party's giants, including Al Gore, Barack Obama, and Nancy Pelosi. The experts say Pa.'s incumbent governor is a colossus this fall.

Lynn Swann, Rendell's GOP challenger, spent Sunday out west. The football legend is hoping he can pull off and gigantic upset... outspent 2 to 1. Republicans had hoped he could neutralize Rendell's base in the black community.

Incumbent Pa. Senator Rick Santorum has struggled to gain traction in his battle with state treasurer Bob Casey. Casey has deftly exploited Santorum's vulnerabilities, especially his ties to President Bush and his support for the war in Iraq.

Discontent about the war in Iraq has framed the mid-term elections, leaving Republicans like Congressman Michael Fitzpatrick in the 8th district battling for their political lives. Senator John McCain of Arizona was in Bucks County Sunday to ask voters to stay the course, and reject Iraq war veteran Patrick Murphy's ferocious and well-financed challenge.

7th district congressman Jim Gerlach has tried to keep as much distance as he can from President Bush. He's tried to paint challenger Lois Murphy as a reckless liberal. He narrowly beat Murphy 2 years ago and this time Democrats believe she can win it.

And in the 6th district, 20-year incumbent Curt Weldon is carrying a lot of baggage; Bush and the War, and the FBI corruption probe into possible influence peddling. Democrats believe retired Navy Admiral Joe Sestak has the resume and the wind at his back.

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