Tom Waring, the Wire
State Rep. Steve Santarsiero, a Democratic candidate in the 8th Congressional District, has been endorsed by the Montgomery County Democracy for America chapter and the Northampton Township Democratic Committee.
The Northampton endorsement was 20–3 for Santarsiero over primary opponent Shaughnessy Naughton.
Santarsiero, who was elected a state representative in 2008, has now earned the endorsement of 12 local Democratic organizations. Naughton has none.
“The Democratic Party is lining up behind me because I have been there for them,” Santarisero said. “I started out as a local committee person 15 years ago. I worked for years to help build the local party, and their unanimous support is a reflection of my commitment to the community and to local Democrats.”
Last month, Santarsiero announced that he has already locked up the Bucks County Democratic Committee’s endorsement. Of 370 Bucks County Democratic Committee people, over 240 have pledged their support for Santarsiero, with only three or four pledging support for Naughton, according to local party leadership.
Also last month, Santarsiero released a poll by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research that gave him a lead of 36 percent to 21 percent over Naughton among likely voters.
Among voters who say they are familiar with both candidates, Santarsiero holds a lead of 68 percent to 22 percent.
“Steve Santarsiero starts the race with a sizable lead,” GQRR Pollster Anna Greenberg wrote in a memo of the survey’s findings. “Naughton will need to spend significantly just to make this race competitive.”
The district consists of all of Bucks County and portions of Montgomery County.
