Lou Barletta Running for PA Senate

[Heisenberg]

Barletta is a pretty solid candidate, on paper. he's from a key area of PA where Trump won big. He's got my support.

Agree. Keep in mind, he almost defeated the well-known, well-liked, entrenched Democrat Kanjorski... in 2008 f all years, in a district with both Scranton and Wilkes-Barre proper. He was also super popular in Hazelton at a time when it was super Democratic.

[Heisenberg]

Barletta is certainly a B candidate, but I don't think there are any A candidates in PA.

Tom Ridge is old.  Schwieker really has no name ID anymore and no ambition.  Meehan/Gerlach couldn't get through a primary.  I don't see any A listers.

Man, Schweiker. There's a name I haven't heard in a while. If we're thinking of the same guy he must be really ancient. Older than Ridge, right?

Younger than Ridge (his Lt. Gov who succeeded him after joining the GWB admin). Mark Schwieker is the man. Former Senator Richard Schweikert passed away two years ago. And Tom Ridge would not at all win a primary these days because he is pro-choice, #NeverTrump, etc. I don't think the Trumpist base would like him at all. I'd say Barletta is definitely the best recruit Republicans could land, but still Lean D for now.

[Heisenberg]

Bear in mind Casey outperformed Obama '12 and Wolf '14 in Barletta's district, FWIW

I'm aware. Casey is a good fit for that area, but so is Barletta, and he'll the best candidate to try and neutralize it, which is necessary to win. I still have Casey as the favorite, but Barletta definitely has a path, albeit a narrow one with little room for error.

[Heisenberg]

He'll be the Katherine Harris of 2018.

I don't think he'll be that bad. Remember, Kathleen Harris was the Florida Secretary of State during the highly controversial 2000 Election recount, and she was running during GWB's six-year itch, when his popularity was super low (and only went further down from there). Barletta doesn't have anything remotely similar.