2. Knoll does not have a following outside of western Pennsylvania. I can almost guarentee she doesn't. But if she did, that even proves my point better than before. You drop her and you take a hit. Joe Hoeffel can't help you rebound.
But Hoeffel has a base with both the Unions in Pittsburgh and the Liberals in Philadelphia. That's more important than Knoll's few supporters around the Allegheny-Westmoreland border.
That doesn't bring anything to the ticket. Rendell will win those voters anyway.
And Hoeffel will get them out to vote.
Rendell gets them out to vote, not Hoeffel. If you have to rely on Joe Hoeffel to GOTV, you're in serious trouble.
Actually, I know of 3 people in my family who WONT vote for Rendell/Knoll, but would vote for Rendell/Hoeffel. Who knows how many others there are.