Patrick Murphy

It should come as no surprise that Tom Lingenfelter thinks the two-party system stinks.

He is, after all, the Independent candidate trying to get some attention in the 8th Congressional District race between U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Bristol) and Republican Tom Manion.

"The parties don't pick people like me," Lingenfelter told The Intelligencer. "They don't want entrepreneurial types. They don't want problem solvers. They pick bureaucrats."

Voting no was the safe move.

Members of Congress in tough re-election battles apparently decided that it was safer to vote against the $700 billion Wall Street bailout plan than to vote for it.

There are 41 incumbent House members on Politicker.com's The Pindell Report of the nation's most competitive House races. Of that group 31 voted against the bailout, possibly proof that that a yes vote might be politically toxic just a little over a month from Election Day. Of the four House members running for the Senate only Maine's Tom Allen voted for in favor.

Below is a transcript of remarks made by U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Bristol) at the Democratic National Convention Wednesday evening, as prepared for delivery.

U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Bristol) is scheduled to address the Democratic National Convention between 7 and 8 p.m. (EST) on Wednesday night. The theme of the day is "Securing America's Future."

Murphy -- currently the only Iraq war veteran serving in Congress -- will be joined on stage by fellow Iraq war veterans.

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.

Continuing its attempt to catch up with U.S. Sen. Barack Obama's (D-NY) considerable ground operation in Pennsylvania, the campaign of U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) will open an office in Bucks County Wednesday evening.

The office, in Warminster, will officially open at 6 p.m. Republican Tom Manion, who is running against U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Bristol) in the 8th Congressional District, will speak on McCain's behalf, Manion's campaign said today.

Of the critical counties in the Philadelphia suburbs, Bucks County, with large swaths of blue-collar voters, is one that analysts give McCain the best chance of winning. 

In an apparent nod to Pennsylvania's swing state status, the Democratic National Convention will feature several of the state's politicians during the week's events.

Gov. Ed Rendell (D) and U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D-Scranton) are both scheduled to address the convention on Tuesday. And on Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Bristol) will join Iraq War veteran Tammy Duckworth of Illinois in leading a tribute to honor veterans and their families.

CNN has put together a slide show of 19 “key players” to watch at the Democratic National Convention.  You would expect among those to be Sen. Bob Casey who was a key and early supporter of Obama in Pennsylvania.  Casey did not make the list, neither did Governor Ed Rendell.  The only member of the Pa. delegation to make the list is Congressman Pat Murphy.

Jay Russell was hoping to run for Congress against U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Bristol) and Republican Tom Manion.

But Constitution Candidate hopeful dropped his election bid this week before a hearing was set for a challenge to his candidacy, The Bucks County Courier Times reports.

Tom Lingenfelter, a Doylestown political activist running as an Independent in the 8th Congressional District race, had claimed in court papers that more than 2,500 of the signatures collected for Russell's nominating petitions were invalid.

GOP candidate for state Treasurer Tom Ellis went colonial for his turn at Daily News columnist Stu Bykofsky's Comedy NightPHILADELPHIA-There were jokes about John McCain's age. Jokes about Gov. Ed Rendell's robust figure. Jokes about Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter's nerdy voice. And, oh, were there ever jokes about Vince Fumo's witness list.

And that was all before Libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr made a surprise appearance.

It was one of the local political establishment's favorite nights here Tuesday night, as candidates for statewide races, Congressional races and down-ballot race joined a bevy of political insiders for Daily News columnist Stu Bykofsky's annual Candidates Comedy Night. In its 18th year, the fundraiser for a children's charity put more than a dozen political candidates on stage, not to campaign, but to make people laugh.

"The candidates before me tonight are not professional comics," Bykofsky warned his audience before U.S. Rep. Bob Brady opened the show. "They will prove that in a moment."