Tom Waring, the Wire
Montgomery County Commissioner Josh Shapiro has decided against seeking the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate, and one conservative political action committee believes that’s a sign that Republican Sen. Pat Toomey is in good shape for re-election.
The America Rising PAC pointed to a comment by an editor from Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball that claimed national Democrats “loathe” former congressman Joe Sestak, the leading Democratic candidate.
“It’s panic time for Pennsylvania Democrats. Their preferred candidate, Josh Shapiro, has taken a pass, and now they have to put up with a candidate they ‘loathe.’ Sestak’s anemic fundraising and embarrassing walking tour have gone so poorly that Democrats are losing hope in the Keystone State,” said Jeff Bechdel, America Rising PAC communications director.
Shapiro had been recruited to run by Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid and Sens. Chuck Schumer and Jon Tester, who is chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
Afterward, Sabato moved the race from a tossup to one that leans Republican.
Toomey beat Sestak in a close race in 2010.
