Democratic U.S. Rep. Chris Carney, who has been trying to late to show his bipartisan support, will get another boost later this month when David Urban, the former chief of staff for Republican U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter, hosts a DC fund-raiser for the freshman representative.

Urban, a Washington lobbyist who is used to spreading his money and support around Democrats and Republicans, tells the Wilkes-Barre Citizens Voice, “Over his term I’ve gotten to know Carney … he’s a pretty admirable guy and I think he’s doing great things for Pennsylvania.”

From Roll Call:

A new poll commissioned by his challenger’s campaign showed Rep. Phil English (R-Pa.) trailing in his bid for an eighth term by a single percentage point.

The poll showed businesswoman Kathy Dahlkemper (D) leading English 41 percent to 40 percent, with 19 percent undecided.

English could be in one of the toughest races of his career against Dahlkemper, a political novice who won a four-way primary in April…

From the (new?) blog Local Values:

The Department of Transportation is refusing to follow through on a $5.6 million earmark by Paul Kanjorski.

The original earmark was in the 2005 Transportation Bill and authorized a parking garage to be constructed onto the Kanjorski Center—built in Naticoke in 1993 which is currently empty.

However, the Hill reports that the earmark does not meet federal standards. Federal funds are allowed for parking garages “only if they are connected to other public transportation facilities outside a business area with a population of 50,000 or more, or if it serves high-occupancy vehicles (HOVs) and public mass transportation passengers.”

The Supreme Court yesterday ruled in FEC v. Davis that “millionaire’s amendment” of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law was unconstitutional saying it violated free-speech protections.

The Millionaires’ Amendment is a provision of the McCain–Feingold Act that is designed to level the playing field when someone is able to spend large amounts of their own money in a federal election. If someone drops $350,000 of spare change into their own house campaign the contribution limits are tripled for the opponent and the national and state party’s may make unlimited coordinated expenditures on behalf of the candidate.

Maybe it’s time to give Rep. Jim Gerlach his due.

A survivor of near-death political experiences in the last two elections, the Republican from Chester County certainly has proved he can take a punch.

His titanic battles with Democrat Lois Murphy in 2004 and 2006 were subjects of national – even international – attention. TV crews from France and Japan followed him around, and leaders of both parties in Washington directed millions of dollars into the races, which were ranked among the handful of most competitive in the country.  read more »

Sam Bennett, the Democratic challenger to U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent, R-15th, has replaced her campaign manager with a congressional staffer on the advice of national Democrats, she said.

Kathryn Seck, who recently left her job as communications director for the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, fills the spot left by Hannah Miller. Bennett said Miller moved on recently to pursue other opportunities. She said the split was amicable.

Bernie O’Hare conducted a great interview with congressional candidate Sam Bennett, who’s challenging Charlie Dent in the 15th. I think he’s splitting it up into parts, but here’s my favorite piece of Part 1:

Question: How are you qualified to represent us in the U.S. House of Reps., having never served as an elected official before? (Bennett has never won a primary in which she ran opposed by another Democrat.)  read more »

Very interesting, especially given that Bennett flacks accuse Dent of getting lots of support from outside the district.

How’s that Bennett grass roots campaign going? According to a study performed by the Dent camp, not too well. Evil genius Shawn Millan reports that 78% of her $177,823 in itemized contributions comes from outside the Lehigh Valley. Uh oh! Nearly 30% comes from people who do not even live in Pennsylvania.