Joe Sestak

U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak has been a fundraising juggernaut during his first re-election bid, collecting more than $3.6 million in campaign contributions, but it's the relatively modest amount that he's spent which is raising eyebrows.

The Edgmont Democrat has raised more money this election cycle than all but one of his fellow Pennsylvania Democratic incumbents (fellow freshman U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy edges him by barely $90,000).

Two weeks before Election Day, however, Sestak had spent only about $880,000 in his race against Republican Craig Williams in the 7th Congressional District, according to campaign finance data. It's no paltry sum: Sestak has spent on direct-mail, some newspaper ads and building a sprawling ground-game and get-out-the-vote operation. But in the context of Congressional contests, some would call it a pittance. More telling, Sestak, as of Friday, had spent nothing on the television or radio advertisements that are a staple of most Congressional campaigns, his campaign spokesman confirmed. The decision has left the campaign with more than $3 million in the bank.

Murphy, by contrast, has spent more than $2.3 million on his race against Republican Tom Manion, showering the airwaves with TV ads. While his race was initially expected to be more competitive, it has dropped off many analysts' radar screens in recent weeks, as the economy has overtaken the Iraq war as the primary issue. It is now considered only slightly more competitive than Sestak's race, and a couple political watchers even consider it less competitive.

So why is Sestak, a former three-star admiral, spending so lightly?

Republicans nationally and in Pennsylvania tout the energy vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin has instilled in the GOP.

On Tuesday, it caused state party Chairman Bob Gleason to make a bold prediction: Republicans will win back "four or five" congressional seats in the Keystone State.

Generic ballots between Republicans and Democrats show a dead heat, Gleason said, "and that's caused Democrats to be very nervous about their congressional seats."

The chairman, joined by congressional candidate Craig Williams for the state's 7th Congressional District, spoke to reporters on a conference call hours before Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden campaigned in the Philadelphia suburbs.

DENVER--Democrats in Pennsylvania are hoping that U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) could be vulnerable when he comes up for reelection in two years. But state Democratic Party Chairman T.J. Rooney this morning cautioned that unseating the longtime moderate Republican in 2010 will be very difficult.

"Arlen Specter is a very, very formidable opponent," Rooney told PolitickerPa.com during the state delegation's breakfast here.

Rooney gave Specter credit for "staying grounded" as other elements of his party have moved further to the right.

Beating Specter, Rooney said, will take "a candidate with a compelling story and a hell of a lot of money."

DENVER-Joe Hoeffel knows a thing or two about taking on U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.). Hoeffel, the Montgomery County Commissioner and former Congressman, tried to unseat Specter in 2004, but came up short by about 10 points.

In an interview with PolitickerPa.com this morning, Hoeffel served up some words of wisdom for whatever Democrat eventually takes on the formidable task of challenging Specter in 2010.

He said it was critical for any candidate to "stress the traditional family values and economic values that Pennsylvanians care about," calling an emphasis on so-called pocket-book issues critical to any campaign. But national security acumen, he said, is almost as important.

"The Senator's weakness is he's been too loyal to George Bush," Hoeffel said.

This article is by Dan Hirschhorn in Philadelphia and Alex Roarty in Harrisburg.

Even while they insist their energies are fully focused on electing their prospective party's nominees for president, members of the state's political establishment are quietly eyeing the next big elections in Pennsylvania: the race for governor and the race for senator in 2010.

With a bevy of political insiders set to convene over the next two weeks for their annual political conventions-Democrats in Denver next week and Republicans in St. Paul the following week-it's certain that prospective candidates for the two offices will be putting out feelers for support, though they'll be doing so quietly.

Prospective candidates for both offices will be present at both conventions, and though they assured PolitickerPa.com they were more focused on November's presidential election, most acknowledged it would be nice to have a who's who of state politicians in one room.

"I would say that next week in Denver I'll spend a lot of time talking to other ... Democrats from across the state about intentions and gauging their reaction and support," said Don Cunningham, the Lehigh County Executive who is considering a run for the Democratic nomination to succeed Gov. Ed Rendell.

"I'm not hosting any formal receptions or anything like that," Cunningham was quick to add. "I'm just going to be an active, regular part of the delegation. I know a lot of folks already, and I'm hoping to get to know more."

PHILADELPHIA -- It might be hard to tell from this grainy recording, but 7th Congressional District Republican candidate Craig Williams gave by far one of the funniest performances at Daily News columnist Stu Bykofsky's Candidates Comedy Night.

Bringing the old "good news, bad news" routine to the stage, apparently for the first time in the event's 18 years, Williams made light of his low name recognition, Eliot Spitzer, and of course, John McCain's age.

Williams is running against U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Edgmont).

Below is a video of Williams' performance: 

During a brief appearance Monday in Montgomery County, U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said Congress should return from its summer recess to deal with the country's energy crisis, The Inquirer reports.

"Congress should come back in session, and I'm willing to come off the campaign trail," he said.

McCain's short campaign stop in the Philadelphia area was closed to only a small group of pool reporters. His only stop was at National Label, a company that makes labels for pharmaceuticals and other products.

His call for Congress to return is being echoed by other candidates in the state, especially Republicans. Craig Williams, who is running against U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Edgmont) in the 7th Congressional District, criticized Congress himself Monday morning to taking the recess without passing energy legislation.

McCain's tight control of press access could reflect growing frustration with a  press corps the campaign sees as favoring U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.)

His latest round of chemotherapy behind him, Arlen Specter said Wednesday that he plans on running in 2010 for a sixth term in the U.S. Senate, The Inquirer reports.

Specter, the Pennsylvania Republican, has been battling Hodgkins's disease, but he told The Inquirer that his prognosis for recovery is "excellent."

An icon of Republican politics in the state and a fierce campaigner, high-profile Democrats have often been hesitant to go up against him in the past.

Very early speculation about what Democrats could possibly challenge him has centered on U.S. Reps. Joe Sestak (D-Edgmont) and Allyson Schwartz (D-Abington).

Despite loads of talk about competitive Congressional races in the Philadelphia suburbs, there are growing indications that the real races to watch are elsewhere in the state. Independent political reports have increasingly spotlighted the 3rd, 10th and 11th Congressional Districts as the most competitive, and G. Terry Madonna, a pollster and political science professor at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster said that's where his polling resources are likely to be concentrated.

Madonna told PolitickerPA.com that Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta's challenge to U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D-Nanticoke) in the 11th district, as well as Kathy Kahlkemper's challenge to U.S. Rep. Phil English in the 3rd district and Chris Hackett campaign against U.S. Rep Chris Carney (D-Dimock) in the 10th district, will be the most competitive.

He did question recent reports that Kanjorski's race against Barletta is close to a toss-up, saying that while the race would be competitive, Kanjorski's long-held ties in the district would see him through the race.

Madonna downplayed assertions that Republicans Craig Williams and Tom Manion are likely to unseat U.S. Reps. Joe Sestak (D-Egdmont) and Patrick Murphy (D-Bristol). Not that those districts will go unwatched, as they are likely to be key swing areas in the state's presidentail race.

Madonna said he will likely poll in the 3rd, 10th and 11th district races instead of the ones in the Philadelphia suburbs.

Eight Pennsylvania Democrats running for Congress are being criticized by the National Republican Congressional Committee for accepting donations from U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), who is embroiled in scandal after being accused of using his high-profile status to secure rent-stabilized apartments.

The NRCC sent two sets of e-mails, one Saturday to incumbents and another Wednesday to challengers, saying Democrats should return donations from the politically powerful Rangel.