Tim Holden

Two Democratic Pennsylvania congressmen involved in tight re-election campaigns bucked their party and voted against a $700 billion Wall St. bailout proposal in a vote that evenly split the rest of the state's delegation.

U.S. Reps. Jason Altmire (D-McCandless) and Chris Carney (D-Dimok), along with U.S. Rep. Tim Holden (D-St. Clair), opposed the bailout plan, which was defeated on the House floor 228 to 205. Altmire and Carney each face difficult re-election tests this fall against opponents bent on portraying them as "Nancy Pelosi" liberals. 

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was a strong proponent of the bill. 

Altmire faces former congresswoman Melissa Hart in the 4th Congressional District -- Carney faces Republican challenger Chris Hackett in the 10th Congressional District.

Congressman Tim Holden has filed his 2nd quarter FEC report and after raising $215k he has a little over $900k left on hand.  Holden may be stock piling for ’12 when Republicans are sure to  try and go after him during the 2010 redistricting. 

TJ Rooney and the Democratic Party in Pennsylvania was solidly behind Hillary Clinton and delivered for her in the primary. When Barack Obama won this week the Party was quick to get behind Obama which makes them a winner this week.  Find out who else made the Winners and Losers list for June 6, 2008.

U.S. Rep Tim Holden (D-St. Clair) became the final uncommitted superdelegate in Pennsylvania to support Barack Obama, but he still refuses to acknowledge with Democratic candidate he supported, reports The Patriot-News.

Holden instead criticized what he called a "flawed and foolish process."

"This process sucks, but we have a nominee," Holden told The Patriot-News.

Congressman Jason Altmire is in what could be a tough reelection fight against Melissa Hart. Some Democrats understand why he is waiting to make a formal announcement on who he is endorsing for President. Now that the election fight is over and the Democrats have a presumptive nominee it will be easy for Altmire to make that decision. Altmire has said for weeks now that he was going to wait until after the last vote was cast, then by the end of that week (this week) make his decision know. He has not hidden from the fact he did not want to upset any Democrats in his district by choosing the wrong candidate. Even as Altmire announced today he would support Barack Obama he treaded lightly.

Uncommitted superdelegate U.S. Rep. Jason Altmire (D-Wexford) announced this afternoon he will support Barack Obama in the presidential race, but what Altmire didn't do the day after Obama secured enough delegates to be the Democratic Party's presidential nominee was endorse him.

"A formal endorsement is no longer necessary," Altmire said in a statement. "The Democratic primary is over and I am going to support the nominee who was chosen by people who voted across all 50 states over the past five months. I expect the vote at the convention to be uncontested and that our party will be fully united behind Senator Obama."

His announcement leaves U.S. Rep. Tim Holden (D-St. Clair) as the only uncommitted superdelegate in Pennsylvania. Calls to Holden's office were not immediately returned.

One uncommitted superdelegate down, two more to go.

U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle (D-Forrest Hills) announced this afternoon he will endorse U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) for president -- a day after Obama clinched enough delegates to secure the nomination.

The Pa. state party has hopped off the fence and thrown its support behind Barack Obama before Hillary Clinton declines drops out of the race.

The party's stance hasn't changed, said spokesman Abe Amoros. It has continually said whoever emerges victorious would receive the party's full support, Amoros said.

Asked if the senator from Illinois had won, Amoros said, "That's apparent to probably everyone that's breathing on the planet at this point."

As superdelegates flood to Barack Obama throughout the day, Pennsylvania has four holdouts.  Congressmen Bob Brady, Jason Altmire, Mike Doyle and Tim Holden continue to take their strong stances of no comment. 

Maybe after Obama reaches the magic number later today they will be willing to take a stance once and for all.

PA-10 Democrat Chris Carney has announced his endorsement of Hillary Clinton for President. Carney’s endorsement leaves four PA Congressmen who have yet to step up to the table and take a side. Tim Holden, Jason Altmire, Bob Brady and Mike Doyle still remain as the least likely to win a courage in politics award.