House

Congressional candidate Kathy DahlkemperCongressional candidate Kathy Dahlkemper received another boost Thursday as she tries to unseat Republican U.S. Rep. Phil English in the 3rd Congressional District.

The non-partisan Cook Political Report has changed the district from "likely Republican" to "lean Republican" (subscription required). The political report has seven rankings, and "lean Republican" is only one step from "toss up."

The announcement comes after The Rothenberg Political Report identified Dahlkemper as a "top-tier challenger" and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee placed her on its "Red-to-Blue" program in June.

Is a personal family tragedy relevant to a run for political office? View the first part of Tom Manion's "Letters from Travis" below and judge for yourself:

Congressional candidate Craig Williams: Campaign photoSeeking to bolster his credentials as a Republican in favor of off-shore drilling, Craig Williams announced Wednesday that he would take a trip to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge this month.

Williams, who is running against U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Edgmont) in the 7th Congressional District, said the purpose of the trip is to "raise awareness about the availability of domestic energy sources."

"With gas prices at an all time high, we ned to take steps now to reduce our dependence on foreign oil," Williams said in a statement. "We have energy resources available to us domestically that can cut our dependence on foreign oil and provide a bridge to tomorrow when we can more heavily rely on renewable energy sources..."

MONACA -- U.S. Rep. Jason Altmire (D-McCandless) told PolitickerPA.com in an interview after Wednesday night's town hall meeting he thinks his voting record, which he said is about 50 percent Democratic, proves his political philosophy matches the mostly centrist 4th Congressional District, which covers an area from the northern Pittsburgh suburbs to Mercer County.

Those votes, he said, will be the biggest difference this fall when he faces a rematch against Republican Melissa Hart, who had represented the district three terms until defeated by Altmire in 2006.

During that race, people voted against Hart more than they voted for him, he said.

"I have a record to run on now," he said.

MONACA -- Wednesday night at Penn State Beaver was one of the few times to see a Republican and Democratic congressman tout the other.

U.S. reps. Tim Murphy (R-Upper St. Clair) and Jason Altmire (D-McCandless) want voters to know it wasn't a one-time event.

The two congressmen Wednesday held the second of two joint town halls, this time in Beaver County, to highlight how they have worked together to help western Pennsylvania, even if that meant crossing party lines. It's an effort from both campaigns to position themselves as centrists ahead of November's election, where being viewed as ideologically extreme isn't beneficial in either district.

Congressional candidate Steve O'Donnell: Courtesy Steve O'Donnell campaignMONROEVILLE -- The 18th Congressional District splashes across southwest Pennsylvania to create what can best be described as a giant Rorschach test. Its array of nooks and crannies, which spread across four counties from the Ohio border to near Johnstown, covers not just a range of geographic but socioeconomic areas as well.

But Democratic congressional candidate Steve O'Donnell contends the district's odd configuration works to his advantage. The former social worker and business owner says support from a constellation of local elected officials gives him access to voters his opponent, U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy (R-Upper St. Clair), simply doesn't have.

Congressional candidate Chris HackettA prominent business group today endorsed Republican Chris Hackett in his attempt to unseat freshman lawmaker U.S. Rep. Chris Carney (D-Dimock) in the state's 10th Congressional District, Roll Call reports (subscription only).

The endorsement was one of three made by The Business-Industry Political Action Committee today. The PAC also made endorsements in Congressional races Georgia and Kentucky.

BIPAC CEO Greg Casey said that Hackett's ownership of a temp staffing company in northeastern Pennsylvania will help him "bring a keen awareness of business concerns to Congress,” Roll Call reports.

Democratic Congressman Chris Carney will get to add another Republican supporter to his Republicans for Carney list.  David Urban, former chief of staff for Senator Arlen Specter will host a DC fundraiser for Carney on July 16th. 

U.S. Rep. Chris CarneyA former chief of staff of Republican U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter is raising money for Democratic U.S. Rep. Chris Carney as he faces a still re-election test, Roll Call reports (subscription required).

David Urban was Specter's chief of staff for five years, but now he is hosting a $1,000-a-head breakfast for Carney July 16 in Washington.

"While I'm a Republican, I like to think I support solid candidates," Urban told Roll Call. "[Carney] is a conservative Democrats ... who deserves to be given another shot."

Freedom's Watch has again targeted two northeast Pennsylvania congressmen as part of its ongoing campaign to criticize Democratic incumbents for opposing expanded domestic oil drilling.

The Washington-based conservative advocacy group this time is running radio ads in the districts of U.S. reps. Chris Carney (D-Dimock) and Paul Kanjorski (D-Nanticoke). They criticize the representatives for refusing to help families struggling with high gas prices by "voting against American energy independence."

The ads provide the congressman's phone number and asks voters to tell them to support H.R. 3089, the "No More Excuses Energy Act of 2007."

Freedom's Watch previously launched a series of robocalls against three Pennsylvania Democratic incumbents criticizing them on the same issue.

Kanjorksi's campaign has previously called the attacks untrue.