Centerblue.org

George Will’s column laments the increasing misfortune of Republicans in the Keystone State.

In the governor’s race, Democrat Ed Rendell hopes to defeat his Republican opponent Lynn Swann by exploiting what he considers to be the increasingly fragmented and incompatible nature of the Republican vote: the loyal base, the disappointed base that may not vote, and the moderates who are concluding there is no place for them in the GOP. This last group is disenchanted because of the GOP’s backwards positions on issues like stem cell research, creationism in schools, and gay rights.

Republican Senator Rick Santorum’s re-election campaign is also in serious trouble and he will probably lose his seat because of this same fracture in GOP politics. This erosion in support is part of a “sea change” in electoral politics that is seeing Democratic candidates successful in previously Republican strongholds.

The Democratic strategy in Pennsylvania is obviously a winning one and will hopefully spread outside the Commonwealth, especially with there already being 12 Democratic governors in “red” states.

The Scranton Times-Tribute reports on Republican Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum and his dim prospects for re-election.

Not only does a recent Quinnipiac University poll show him statewide at 18% behind his Democratic opponent Bob Casey, but a whopping 67% of those polled said they had made up their minds about how they will vote.

Santorum’s ultra-conservative stands put him at odds with a much more moderate Pennsylvania and even often at odds with Bush and the rest of the GOP.

Ironically, the most successful attack he’s struggling against involves his use of Pennsylvania cyber education funds for his children that live with him in the DC suburbs. That’s ironic because he clubbed his incumbent 1994 Democratic opponent with charges of living near DC too much and not enough among his constituents. Of course that makes it more important that he himself be perceived as not doing that. Talk about being hoisted on your own petard.