English sees silver lining in poll

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Rep. Phil English (R-Erie) acknowledged in an interview today the potentially ominous sign that the National Republican Congressional Committee had been conducting research in his district. But he suggested that the poll had a silver lining.

The NRCC’s early investment was widely seen as a sign that the seven-term Republican needed shoring up in his battle against Democrat Kathy Dahlkemper. In its initial ad reservations, the NRCC indicated it planned to spend close to $700,000 on English’s behalf. And financial reports filed with the Federal Election Commission last week showed the committee spending over $10,000 in survey research in the northeast Pennsylvania-area 3rd Congressional District.

“Ominously, we saw also they had polled,” noted English. “I think they’re testing.”

But the results of the survey, he speculated, had been favorable.

“I think it’s also significant that we noticed from a distance that after they polled they did not go forward and launch early ads. I think that’s a strong indication of how strong our campaign has been.”

A spokesperson for the NRCC did not answer directly when asked if the committee had decided to pull back on plans to launch an early ad blitz after the polling.

“We anticipate a competitive race, but we are confident that Phil English’s pro-growth record on economic issues like drilling to lower the cost of gasoline and keeping taxes low will stand in stark contrast to Kathy Dahlkemper’s liberal job-killing agenda,” said NRCC spokesman Ken Spain.

While the NRCC has so far been off the air in the district, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has targeted English in a television advertisement that notes his ties to Big Oil. The spot began airing in the district earlier this month.

Seated in his Capitol Hill office, English said that Dahlkemper had been overly dependent on the DCCC. Dahlkemper had raised $400,000 as of June, to English’s $1.5 million.

“We’ve been out there punching since mid-June on local TV and the DCCC has had to recently rescue Dahlkemper and prop her up,” said English. “As a practical matter she has been totally dependent on the DCCC for fundraising and support.”

DCCC spokeswoman Carrie James laughed off the barb, calling English paranoid.

“After taking nearly $180,000 in Big Oil money and opposing alternative energies it’s not surprising that he’s concerned about losing his job,” said James, arguing that English had voted with President Bush on everything from Iraq to job outsourcing. “This is a change election year, of course Congressman English is paranoid – he’s defending the status quo.”