Governor Rendell projects a clear winner in U.S. Senate race

Governor Ed Rendell says he considers Congressman Joe Sestak’s primary challenge against Senator Arlen Specter a lost cause.

Governor Ed Rendell says he considers Congressman Joe Sestak’s primary challenge against Senator Arlen Specter a lost cause. [audio:100316SDKILLED.mp3]

Last year, Rendell said Sestak would “get killed” if he challenged Republican turned Democrat Arlen Specter in Pennsylvania’s primary.

During an interview in his Capitol office, Rendell said he’s sticking by that statement.

Rendell, who endorsed Specter immediately after the Senator switched parties last year, says Sestak is a solid congressman, but he can’t match Specter’s decades-long track record.

Rendell:
But he has, in my judgment, no chance to win. In the time that has elapsed he hasn’t done anything to narrow the lead. In fact, the lead has actually increased. And I just don’t think he has enough money – versus his opponent – to make a dent in a lead that big.

The governor says that’s mostly because Specter has steered federal funding and projects to Pennsylvania’s 67 counties for three decades.

Sestak insists most Pennsylvanians have not tuned into the race yet, and momentum will shift his way when his campaign starts running television ads.