PA has become like Illinois. Dems can do whatever they want, and the state will happily stay on the Dem plantation. The delusion is so powerful.
In 2010, Republicans took back five congressional seats from Democrats, elected a Republican Governor, and elected a strong conservative U.S. Senator, Pat Toomey. The PA General Assembly is GOP controlled. Republicans hold a 30-20 majority in the Senate, and a 112-90 majority in the House.
So PA is not like Illinois - not by a long shot. But in presidential years, the urban voters get really revved up and overcome the suburban and rural voters. Bush lost PA by only 4 pts. in 2004.
If Obama weren’t half black, it would be a lot closer.
There was one poll suggesting that 0buma was under performing in the suburbs of Chicago.