District 3 / Phil English (R)

Poll Shows English Trailing Narrowly (!)

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…


Phil English Gets a Primary Challenger

John Drescher, a 54-year-old computer consultant from Donegal Township, Butler County, has announced he will seek the Republican nomination next year. Mr. Drescher is a former English supporter and “staunch conservative” who told Associated Press in a story today that Mr. English has become too moderate.

Mr. Drescher criticized Mr. English for his support of steel import tariffs and for his vote against President Bush’s troop “surge” in Iraq.  read more »


Rep. English readies for tough race

Party registration and overall political performance suggest that the congressional district in Pennsylvania’s northwest corner should be a classic swing seat.

Yet Rep. Phil English, R-Erie, has held the seat since 1995, handily turning aside a succession of challengers.

His comfortable tenure continued a pattern set by his predecessor, Tom Ridge. Both had tough initial fights to win the seat, but both cemented their holds on the district in a series of relatively comfortable re-elections.  read more »


Mike Waltner Officially Enters Race Against Phil English

Faith and community leader Moise “Mike” Waltner announces today his
candidacy for the United States Congress serving the 3rd Congressional
District of Pennsylvania.

Waltner is running on a moral platform committed to moving
Pennsylvania forward into the 21st Century. “I believe that our
leaders have a moral obligation to move America from the present era
of debt and broken promises into a new era of real investment in our
middle class for our present and future generations,” Waltner
declared.

Waltner highest priorities are: bringing the Iraq War to a responsible
conclusion, keeping our promises to seniors, investing in a strong
middle class at home, and making Pennsylvania competitive in the
global economy.  read more »


Party Unity Less of a Sure Thing for Vulnerable Republicans

Four Pennsylvania Republicans are on top Democratic target lists, causing them to run scared and break with their party on key issues likely to play out in the 2008 Elections.

Says CQ:

15. Tim Murphy, Pennsylvania’s 18th (72.7 percent). Democrats last year did not vigorously challenge Murphy, who was first elected in 2002 to a southwestern Pennsylvania district that was drawn by state GOP legislators to elect a Republican. The Democrats claim that the district (54 percent for Bush in 2004) can be captured in 2008, though: Their candidate is Bethany Hafer, a vice president at a consulting firm headed by her mother, former Pennsylvania Treasurer Barbara Hafer.  read more »


DCCC Video Hits English on Vets, Troop Funding

Eh, this is a decent first shot, though I wonder how much of it is repurposing symbolic votes, etc. You know, the whole “I voted for it before I voted against it” type of thing…


Two More Competitors Prepare to Challenge English

The continuing unpopularity of the war seems to indicate that Erie might turn into an unexpected hotspot – three challengers have announced their intentions to challenge seven-term Congressman Phil English®.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and CQ are reporting that Kyle Foust, an Erie County Councilman, has formed an exploratory committee for a 2008 bid.

Next, Erie attorney Tom Myers announced his candidacy today, focusing on trade deals and other instances of English’s support for the President’s policies.

Finally, we previously reported that Mike Waltner also intends to run against English.

This looks to be a hot primary to watch!


English Challenger Gears Up for Run

Pennsylvania Progressive reports that Phil English can expect a new challenger in 2008 (not that weird professor dude). Mike Waltner is from Erie and will run against English. (And look, we’ve even broken the habit of referring to him solely as “Fat Phil”!)


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