2004 Pennsylvania U.S. Senate race: Barbara Hafer vs. Arlen Specter?

I have been corresponding with a contact in Pennsylvania, and he told me that he'd heard that a woman named Barbara Hafer (apparently the State Treasurer), a pro-choice Republican who endorsed Ed Rendell in 2002, is planning on switching her party affiliation to Democrat and run for the Democratic senatorial nomination to challenge Arlen Specter.

Everyone at DU seems to be talking about Congressman Hoeffel challenging Specter...but are there any Pennsylvania DUers who've heard anything about this Barbara Hafer?

What would her chances be against Specter?

but I think in a primary against Hoeffel that Hoeffel would have the inside track afterall he has always been a Democrat. I guess the old saying is, "I would welcome her and give her a front pew, but by gum I wouldn't want her to lead the choir." At least not yet. She might make a very good candidate against Santorum in 2006.

I thought that Allyson Schwartz was gearing up to challenge Santorum in '06?

Would the Democratic rank-and-file in Pennsylvania be willing to support Hafer in order to defeat Little Ricky?

She was planning on running for State Treasurer, but now that Hoeffel's seat is open, she is mulling a bid. A small problem may be that she does not live in the district.

and lost to Casey. I don't see why she would do better against Specter.

Specter gets a lot of labor support, and is pro choice, so I think it will be difficult for any Dem to beat him. Our best hope is that he gets beat in the Repub primary, then we slay the one who defeated him.

She started out as a nurse. Was elected the first woman county commissioner (a three person commission) of Allegheny County (Pittsburgh & suburbs) back in the 70's. Was elected and re-elected to statewide office in PA as Auditor General (two term limit) and then Treasurer (two term limit). She did an outstanding job in both offices. Ran against and defeated Mina Baker Knoll, daughter of current PA Lieutenant Governor Catherine Baker Knoll, for Treasurer in very bitter race.

The state GOP blew her off when she wanted to run for Governor and she burned her bridges with GOP at all levels when she endorsed Rendell. In my experience, the rank and file Dem. committee people
would not support her candidacy. They do not welcome former Republicans or even Dems who have not paid their dues by working their way up in the state party. They will not forgive Hafer for her defeat of Mina Knoll (whom the Hafer campaign labeled "Baby Baker Knoll". In Pennsylvania, that means the Dem committee people would actively support Specter in the general election.

The other problem is that she would force Hoeffel to use up precious campaign funds in the primary, and doubtless provide the GOP with great soundbites to use against Hoeffel in the general election - because Barbara is a take-no-enemies bulldog.

In 1996, they endorsed Tom Foley for Auditor General. Bob Casey, Jr. won. In 2002, they endorsed Casey for Governor. Rendell won. What will matter is who Rendell backs, and he has already endorsed Hoeffel.

Not sure how it would play out, though.

We don't want a divisive, money-burning primary, and Hoeffel's a much better Democrat than Hafer would be.

He's the one who created the miracle bullet theory. He must have been working hard to prevent us from learning the truth to come up with a ridiculous theory like that.

& he has regretted it ever since.

Arlen Spector is a basically good guy who got paid off for constructing that ridiculous "single bullet theory"
by Republicans' making him a Senator.

Not just conjecturing.
I'm the guy who told him in 1992 to run for the GOP Presidential nomination.
(because nobody awake and aware supported Poppy Bush by then))

BTW/ I last saw Barbara on the bus traveling to the State Capitol in Harrisburg in 1996.
Both of us there to stand behind Arlen as he announced for the Republican primary.

she is also a good person.

IMHO;
We should leave these decent Republicans in place and fight with all resources to replace devil's minions like 'little ricky' Santorum.

whom I also used to know.
I wouldn't piss on Santorum if he was on fire.

I don't see why she'd be so eager to get rid of him. Santorum I could understand, but I doubt it'll happen here.

Living close to Pittsburgh while I was growing up, I heard a lot about her. She's smart as a whip. She's a moderate and would give Ricky boy a serious run for his money.

It would be a great coup for the Democrats to get her too. She's the face of the voter that Bush needs to stay in office--moderate women.

It would be a mega slap in the face of the Republicans for her to run!

http://www.treasury.state.pa.us/

While I don't mind her running for office, I'd much rather see her take on a state office currently. I think that she'll have her shot at the glory sometime, but not right now. Hoeffel needs to be the nominee in 2004 and she'd just tear him down. The Hoeffel campaign needs to be flawless to take down Specter. I think that Hafer should take a try at State Auditor General. I don't believe anyone has announced their candidacy (though Allyson Schwartz has been rumored to want it), and then Schwartz could run for Hoeffel's empty seat.

As for Santorum's race in 2006, I believe Bob Casey, Jr. will be our nominee and become a huge national figure.

I thought Allyson Schwartz wants Santorum's senate seat?

Article IV., Section 18.

The terms of the Auditor General and of the State Treasurer shall each be four years from the third Tuesday of January next ensuing his election. They shall be chosen by the qualified electors of the Commonwealth at general elections but shall not be eligible to serve continuously for more than two successive terms. The State Treasurer shall not be eligible to the office of Auditor General until fours years after he has been State Treasurer.

http://sites.state.pa.us/PA_Constitution.html

I don't know what she should try for then. I don't suppose her congressional district is held by a Republican? We could ALWAYS use another House seat.

Some of Alleygheney County, where she lives, is represented by a Mike Daoyle, a Democrat. Other parts are represented by Melissa Hart and Tim Murphy, who are Republicans.

She lives in either Murphy's or Doyle's district, I can't find out which. She could run against Murphy and probably win, with her moderate Republican base and her enormous name recognition. We should have the majority of the Pennsylvania House seats anyway. This would just put us one step closer to Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

As I recall, Melissa moved there herself a minimal amount of time before she declared her candidacy. And Melissa is about as arrogant a Republican as you can find. Did y'all hear about the time she was a new representative, riding in one of the capitol elevators reserved for congresspeople and accompanying staff? She told another woman in the elevator that she would have to get off - she was not allowed to be there. One of Hart's staffers tried very hard to tell Melissa that the other woman was a Congresswoman (I think in her third term), but nobody tells Melissa anything and she made a fool of herself before she finally shut up. When she was a PA state senator, she was automatically rude and insulting to anyone she perceived to be a Democrat. And of course she is ultra conservative.

Anyways I noticed she was Catholic doesnt she know what the ancestors of the current GOP used to call us. Jeez and shes Italian too. double the trouble. I think someone forgot her roots heh thats why I stay a democrat and other reasons too.

Both of them represent fairly moderate districts, so Hafer could probably bump Hart. Pennsylvania should be a lot more Democratic in its House seats, so this would be a good idea.