Pennsylvania Republicans back former Obama-lover to challenge Casey

    If there’s one thing that’s clear about Republicans’ plans to unseat Pennsylvania U.S. Senator Bob Casey, it’s that they’ll try to associate Casey with President Obama.

    Casey and Obama gave us the failed stimulus plan.

    Casey and Obama saddled us with Obamacare.

    Casey and Obama have sleepovers, and wear matching pajamas.

    • WHYY thanks our sponsors — become a WHYY sponsor

    Which makes it kind of hilarious that over the weekend, the Republican State Committee voted to endorse Steve Welch, a Chester County businessman who voted for Obama in 2008!

    Welch bagged the endorsement in large measure because Gov. Corbett backed him – they share the same political team. And Welch is a smart, self-made multi-millionaire who can put some money into the race. But others are in the race, too (some with millions of their own), and they’re going to make sure Republican conservatives know about Welch’s sleeping with the enemy.

    In his introductory video (above), Welch explained his flirtation with Democrats this way:

    “A few years ago, like a lot of people, when I saw the Republicans in Washington breaking their promises to get spending under control, I was so upset I switched parties,” Welch explains.

    He quickly follows with “…that was nothing compared to the outrage of Barack Obama, Bob Casey, and the Democrats in Congress, when they forced on us their failed stimulus package, their outrageous taxpayer-funded corporate bailouts.”

    If you want to see how he really feels about Obama, check out this “Bob Casey and Barack Obama – Separated at Birth” video from his website.

    Meanwhile, in New Jersey, we have this interesting development: Shelley Adler, the widow of former Democratic U.S. Rep. John Adler who died in April, will challenge freshman Republican Congressman John Runyan in 3rd District, according to the website PolitickerNJ.

    Runyan beat John Adler is a hard-fought campaign in 2010. Adler died of complications from a staph infection five months later.

    And in Harrisburg, politicians are either seething with anger or chortling in delight at last week’s decision by the State Supreme Court to toss out a redistricting plan for State House and Senate districts.

    On Monday the State Senate Appropriations Committee cancelled a hearing on the court system’s budget, and the buzz is that it’s because leadership was furious at State Supreme Court Justice Ron Castille’s vote to overturn the map.

    What’s next? The court issues an opinion explaining its decision some time this week.Then the Reapportionment Commission that gave us the unlawful map will have some guidance on how to correct its  errors. It will then craft a new map, which depending on whether it’s challenged and how the high court responds, will either take effect some time this year, creating chaos, or govern the next elections in 2014.

    Smart money says the old map will hold for this election, which is a win for Democrats. Some say it could net them four to eight seats in State House races this year.

    WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.

    Want a digest of WHYY’s programs, events & stories? Sign up for our weekly newsletter.

    Together we can reach 100% of WHYY’s fiscal year goal