Allyson Schwartz

Congressman Bill Shuster backed out of a debate with his challenger Tony Barr on October 12th citing the financial crisis as a reason he could not attend. If today's recovery bill was passed, Shuster may have lost that argument and may have actually had to think about debating his opponent. Shuster got at least a temporary reprieve today from having to put his record on the line in a debate as the first version of the bill fell short.

Shuster, Chris Carney and Allyson Schwartz continue to duck a series of debates against their opponents.

ARDMORE-Republican Marina Kats knows she has a tough race against U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-Abington) in an increasingly Democratic 13th Congressional District. But there's one constituency the Russian immigrant is confident she can capture: the more than 100,000 voters of Russian, Ukrainian and Polish heritage who live in the northeast Philadelphia part of the largely suburban district.

"We're going to bring that base home to the Republican Party," Kats, who speaks fluent Russian and Ukrainian, told GOP faithful here at a rally for John McCain.

As she and others waited for the arrival of McCain supporters U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), Kats elaborated to PolitickerPA.com.

"I think they're going to come and support me because it's a matter of national pride; 95 percent of these people came here with the same story as me," she said.

This story is by Dan Hirschhorn in Philadelphia and Alex Roarty in Harrisburg

With presidential nominees John McCain and Barack Obama set to face-off in the first of three presidential debates tonight, PolitickerPA.com asked local political insiders on both sides of the aisle what they think their candidates need to accomplish in the coming debates.

Here are their responses.

State Rep. Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny County):

"[McCain's] so humble, he must incorporate his personal story. His heroism in Vietnam and his family story - he has to incorporate his message. ... John McCain needs to keep going after spending. People are tired of excess spending, tired of earmarks, tired of corruption that comes with spending."

Lowman Henry, president of the conservative Lincoln Institute:

"Simply be calm, be reassuring, be in command and steady in tone of voice. Let his experience and knowledge on foreign affairs shine through. ... Obama tends to talk a lot in generalities. McCain needs to do what he did at the Saddleback Forum, and if he does that, I think he'll end up being the clear winner of the debate."

U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-Montgomery County):

"[Obama needs to] be as clear as he can be about what he believes in and what he will do that will really make a difference in [voters'] lives. Point out, correctly, that John McCain is for four more years of President Bush's policies. I think Sen. Obama is perfectly positioned to do well in this debate. He is articulate, he's clear, and he looks presidential.

Larry Ceisler, Democratic political consultant:

"[Obama needs to] show that he has the experience to be president of the United States, and that he carries himself like a commander in chief. Experience is McCain's issue, so if Obama can communicate that he has the experience and judgment requisite to be president and he can carry that off one on one with McCain, that's what he needs to do."

Earlier this year two Republican candidates for Congress complained they were getting no love from Republicans.  One of the candidates, Michael Livingston, was so frustrated he dropped out of the race. Livingston was challenging entrenched Congressman Chaka Fattah in PA-2.  Livingston blamed the local, state and national parties for not supporting his effort. A similar tone was heard from PA-13 where Marina Kats is challenging Allyson Schwartz for the Montgomery County seat. Kats also announced she was not happy with the support she was receiving from the parties.

A month after telling PolitickerPA.com that local Republicans weren't doing enough for her Congressional bid, Marina Kats says that GOP support for her campaign is on the rise.

Kats, who is running against U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-Abington) in the 13th Congressional District, told The Intelligencer that ever since the PolitickerPA.com report, help from local GOP circles has been more reliable.

"I don't know if it's a coincidence," Kats said, "but I did get better support. It has helped."

Whether that support will make a difference against the well-funded Schwartz, especially in a year when most state Republicans are focused on more competitive races, remains to be seen.

Another week, another debate challenge.

This time it's Marina Kats' turn. The Republican challenger in the 13th Congressional District on Monday called on her opponent, U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-Abington), to join her in two debates before Election Day.

"I think the people of the 13th district deserve a chance to hear their candidates on the issues without sound bytes, 30-second attack ads, or mudslinging," Kats said in a statement.

A spokeswoman for Schwartz did not immediately comment.

It's been a challenging race for Kats, a political newcomer who has struggled to gain traction against the well-funded Schwartz in an increasingly Democratic district.

In August, Kats told PolitickerPA.com that she was frustrated with the lack of help from local Republicans.

William Titelman, who is caught going a little crazy in a Kentucky US Senate web ad has doled out thousand in contributions over the three years including spreading the love to some Pennsylvania politicians.  Along with his maxing out to Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, Titelman has also made contribution in the last three years of $500 to Jason Altmire (PA-4) in January of 2007, then $500 each to Altmire, Joe Sestak (PA-7), Chris Carney (PA-10) and Lois Murphy (PA-6) in June of 2006.  Titelman had also contributed $2,100 to Bob Casey in both March and June of 2005 and another $1,000 contribution to Allyson Schwartz (PA-13) in May of 2005. 

Titelman also spread the love to some state candidates.  In 2008 he donated $500 to John Dougherty for Senate.  In 2006 he donated $1,000 to Dwight Evans, and $250 to Senator Chip Brightbill and a $25,000 gift for Ed Rendell.  In 2005 he donated another $5,478.39 to Rendell.    

DENVER--Democrats in Pennsylvania are hoping that U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) could be vulnerable when he comes up for reelection in two years. But state Democratic Party Chairman T.J. Rooney this morning cautioned that unseating the longtime moderate Republican in 2010 will be very difficult.

"Arlen Specter is a very, very formidable opponent," Rooney told PolitickerPa.com during the state delegation's breakfast here.

Rooney gave Specter credit for "staying grounded" as other elements of his party have moved further to the right.

Beating Specter, Rooney said, will take "a candidate with a compelling story and a hell of a lot of money."

DENVER--U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-Abington) is one of a small handful of politicians whose name has been floated as a possible challenger to U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter in 2010.

But in a brief interview this afternoon with PolitickerPa.com, Schwartz said she was focused only on her coming reelection bid in November.

"I love the work that I'm doing," she told PolitickerPa.com as she left a luncheon for the state delegation at the Democratic convention here. "I'm honored to be thought of as someone who can represent the state.

"We'll see," added Schwartz, who represents the 13th Congressional District.

She also briefly addressed the relatively low-key campaign being run by her Republican opponent Marina Kats, who recently acknowledged feeling overwhelmed by the race. Despite any lack of visible campaigning by the Kats operation, Schwartz said she would continue to campaign hard.

"I'm out and about and reaching out to constituents all the time," she said.

DENVER-Joe Hoeffel knows a thing or two about taking on U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.). Hoeffel, the Montgomery County Commissioner and former Congressman, tried to unseat Specter in 2004, but came up short by about 10 points.

In an interview with PolitickerPa.com this morning, Hoeffel served up some words of wisdom for whatever Democrat eventually takes on the formidable task of challenging Specter in 2010.

He said it was critical for any candidate to "stress the traditional family values and economic values that Pennsylvanians care about," calling an emphasis on so-called pocket-book issues critical to any campaign. But national security acumen, he said, is almost as important.

"The Senator's weakness is he's been too loyal to George Bush," Hoeffel said.