Machine Republican Pat Meehan does not even belong in the same room as Progressive Democrat Bryan Lentz. Who says so? They very Republican machine that made Pat Meehan:
A Delaware County Republican campaign strategist told Philadelphia reporter Larry Mendte, “If I was running the campaign, I’d make certain that Meehan never appeared in the same room with Lentz.”
Who else thinks that Pat Meehan does not belong in the same room as Bryan Lentz? Pat Meehan. After Meehan's disastrous performance at the last debate, he knew he could not afford anther public dressing-down.
The voters have taken notice.
Three new polls have Bryan Lentz trailing Pat Meehan only 1, 3, and 4 points.
But before I get into too much election detail, I want to tell you about Bryan Lentz. Before entering politics Bryan Lentz served as an airborne ranger, and then as a prosecutor of gangsters in Philadelphia. Bryan Lentz was elected to the State House in 2006, having defeated a nasty Republican incumbent who was best known for pushing a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. In the last 4 years in Harrisburg, Bryan Lentz has lived up to his promise as a progressive fighter. He has campaigned on creating green jobs in the district, and has received an endorsement from the League of Conservation Voters. He has taken up the campaign to close the "Florida loophole," which allows convicted felons to carry firearms even if they have an out-of-state permit. Pennsylvania has stricter firearm regulations, and felons are rarely given permits here. Florida is a permit mill. Pat Meehan has received the NRA endorsement and of course refuses to take a position on the loophole. Why take a position when you can just sleepwalk your way to victory?
And then came those polls.
The new polls have surprised and frightened national Republicans, who had already assumed this win was in the bag. Outside groups and the National Republican Congressional Committee have bought air time to smear Bryan Lentz with lies. Pat Meehan already tried to tie Bryan Lentz to a scandal in the State House with hilarious results. Bryan Lentz was NOT even a member of the House at the time of the scandal. Meehan held a press conference in Harrisburg to spread his consultant-approved nonsense, but then something unexpected happened. Lentz stepped up to the same podium and tore into Meehan's mealy-mouthed lies:
The candidacy of Pat Meehan is something only the dying, out-of-touch Delaware County Republican machine could produce. In 2001, Bush appointed Meehan US Attorney to the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, because he was loyal. Meehan was never in danger of being fired, he had not the independence of mind of David Iglesias. Meehan became the manager of Rick Santorum's disgusting and spectacularly unsuccessful 2006 campaign. Then Meehan had a great idea - run for governor! He dropped out before the primary even took place. Now it's 2010 and Republican voters in Delaware county wonder why they are saddled with Pat Meehan. The Republican machine does not care what the voters think. Bryan Lentz does.
Bryan Lentz has defended progressive values in the broad daylight of public debates. He supports health care reform but prefers a public option. Lentz believes a balanced budget begins with cuts in defense spending and believes that more stimulus money should spent on improvements in the national infrastructure. He even suggests that the cuts in defense spending could be used to fund new scientific research.
The truth is Pat Meehan has and will continue to outspend Bryan Lentz. Bryan Lentz has held 4 times as many public events. We know that Meehan has spent that time fundraising behind closed doors. The NRCC and shadowy right-wing groups will prop Meehan up. The DCCC is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars defending Congressman Bobby Bright even though he has already pledged NOT to vote for Nancy Pelosi in the next Congress. They have not pledged anything in support of Bryan Lentz. Bryan Lentz only has progressives to rely on for his upset victory. I am donating $30 to a proud progressive. Please volunteer for at least one event. Dick Durbin is coming to town with free food for volunteers on Wednesday, October 20.
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