[randita]

Barbara Hafer used to be a Republican, I believe. This will be an interesting contest. No matter who wins, Casey or Hafer, Santorum is going to have his work cut out for him.

[old and tired]

Wow! I don't know what to make of this. If Casey does run, people like my wife will change their registrations to Dem to vote in the primary. But then there are probably at least as many limosine liberals who'll change their R's (after voting for Specter) to D. Rich main line women (not to mention the liberal media) love Hafer. They love to say she's "fiscally conservative."

I don't think she could get the unions' support over Casey - not the cops, firemen or teamsters anyway. Probably the teachers, though.

[SuziQ]

This kind of throws a monkey wrench into the Dem's plan to put on a 'new face' for the voters, doesn't it? They wanted to be able to say "we're pro-life, too", but a bruising primary between a pro-life Dem and an anti-life Dem would blow that out of the water. I wonder if they'll convince Casey not to challenge her because they don't want that debate in PA.

[Tallguy]

Ya gotta love that Barbara Hafer -- at least since she became a Democrat. She continues to exhibit that political "Tin Ear".

[DM1]

Geez this makes me concerned for the Senate in 06. Between this and Chafee (who is a schmuck but still an R for organization purposes in the Senate) we could lose at least two seats.

[Petronski]

Barbara Hafer...

Sorry. Can't complete thought. The laughter is an autonomic response.

[Dane]

This is interesting. She will get the pro-abort DU vote and in primaries it usually is the one issue voters who are most prone to vote, especially in an off-year election.

Plus a demo primary means that Casey has to spend resources for a primary fight.

[Lancey Howard]

Unfortunately, Hafer is a non-factor. She only recently switched (officially) from the Republican to the Democrat Party and the last time she ran for governor, she not only nearly lost to a complete unknown in the primary, but she then lost the general election to Bob Casey, Sr. in one of the biggest gubernatorial landslides in Pennsylvania history. She has no chance against Junior, so I don't know what's going on here.

[Palladin]

Interesting, and surprising.

IMHO, Hafer is no competition for the handsome, charismatic Casey who has his father's good looks and also his prolife philosophy.

Hafer is the definition of political hack. Emily's List? BAH! Who needs another pro-abortion feminist in the Senate?

[LikeLight]

Casey is definitely the bigger threat to Santorum. Even though he doesn't have the charisma of his father, the Casey name still carries a ton of good will in PA. Many Pennsylvanians are essentially one issue voters, and abortion is the one issue. Many of those dems that hold their noses and vote pro-life republican would much rather vote pro-life democrat. A pro-life democrat with a strong family legacy is golden in PA. Gonna be tough for Rick.

[pittsburgh gop guy]

Casey enters U.S. Senate race; Hafer withdraws
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1356076/posts
12:50 pm – 3/4/2005