I think you're greatly overestimating the degree of support Lynn Swann will get from Steelers fans. Most of the ones I know regard him as a traitor for running as a Republican, which goes against the blue collar team roots, blah blah blah whatever.
Not that there are any better candidates, but Swann is a neophyte who is going to get chewed up and spit out by Fast Eddie, who is one of the best, dirtiest political campaigners in America. Swann has never had a real job where people do not defer to him in his life; first he was a football player, then a football commentator, then he served on softee honorary committees. He is in for a rude awakening when Rendell takes the gloves off. I am sadly resigned to four more years of watching Rendell stuff his fat yob with cheesesteaks.
You have a point, but here's the thing. The ones that call him a traitor won't vote anything BUT Democrat, regardless. More moderate Dems and independents like star power, which Swann has. As I said previously, I give Swann a 30-50% chance of a win. Certainly possible, and I think regardless, he'll do better against Rendell than anyone else would. That said, he has a decent chance of winning, better than Scranton or whatever his name is.
Of course, this is my view watching from next door in Ohio.
Western PA is full of a bunch of "old school" Dems, especially when you get out of the city. These are the ones that are looking around in horror at the moonbat freaks who are taking over their party. They are hardworking Eastern European stock- Poles, Czechs, etc. I expect some of them to jump ship as well. They are the ones who are as equally fed up with our state's corruption as we are, and are going to send Fast Eddie packing. I have lots of maternal relatives in this faction.
As I recall, Swann was never shy about catching passes in heavy traffic. Character and courage can overcome a lot.
I'm reminded of a certain B-movie actor back in 1966 going up against the sitting governor, Pat Brown, the 800 pound gorilla of California politics who knew every dirty trick in the book.