Tell that to me when the next SCOTUS nominee comes up. As long as the Pa. House and Senate remain in Republican hands (by no means a certainty since the whole pay raise debacle), Rendell can be kept in check, as he has during the first term.
you could say the same about the senate. as long as there is majority, there is nothing to worry about. the ways things are looking now, it would take a near miracle for the dems to retake the senate in '06. it will be tough for the dems to retake the pa legistature but i think the chances of that happening are much better than the dems taking the U.S. senate. the pay raise debacle is gonna haunt them.
Swann is the best choice. Philly is never going to vote Republican, especially against Ed Rendell, who is still wildly popular there. But Swann may pull enough Democrat votes in Pittsburgh to win. Remember, not only is Swann a Steeler but Rendell is a huge Eagles fan and has even done commentary on Eagles games. They HATE the Eagles in Pittsburgh. The combination of a Lynn Swann candidacy and a Steelers Super Bowl appearance is Ed Rendell's worst nightmare.
There is also a large military vote in Pennsylvania, and they will not forget how Rendell tried to keep military votes from being counted in the 2004 election, while allowing felons in state prisons to cast illegal absentee ballots.