Rep. Leach confident on fall state Senate election

DENVER--His campaign gaining momentum in a district growing more Democratic by the day, state Rep. Daylin Leach (D-Montgomery) seems increasingly confident that he will ascend to the state Senate after this fall's election.

Leach is running to replace retiring state Sen. Connie Williams (D-Montgomery) in the 17th Senatorial District. He faces Republican Lance Rogers.

In an interview with PolitickerPa.com this morning, Leach said his campaign had knocked on 8,000 doors in the district, which includes parts of Delaware and Montgomery counties. A recent internal campaign poll, he said, showed him beating Rogers by 24 points.

"That said, you never take anything for granted," Leach said. "You always campaign like you're one vote behind.

"We're inherently paranoid people," he said of politicians. "Embrace the paranoia, because that's going to help you do what you need to do."

Williams, who has represented the district since 2001, has long been popular there. Leach already represents about a quarter of the district's constituents, giving him an early advantage over Rogers.

And even as he said he would continue to campaign hard, his confidence was palpable as he speculated about possible margins of victory in November.

"You want to win by enough to make it difficult to recruit future opponents against you," he said.

Leach also addressed criticism by Rogers that he hasn't called for the resignation of embattled House Majority Leader Bill DeWeese, whose position has been threatened by the now infamous "Bonusgate" indictments.

Leach said he had made his own disappointment with the Democratic Caucus clear to DeWeese and other lawmakers. But because he will not have a say in any Caucus reorganization (he will either be in the Senate or out of a job), he considered it "grandstanding" to run to the press calling for DeWeese's head.

"I haven't been silent," Leach said. "I've been quite vocal. I don't feel the need to start publicly waving my arms. I don't think it's a classy thing to do."