PA-5

H/T to Left of Centre for this video of Penn State voting. If turnout is this high there, and the population in the district has been declining over the last decade, what would happen if these students end up voting straight ticket Democrat. What would it mean in CD-5? Just throwing it out there.

BELLEFONTE -- Republican candidate Glenn Thompson is sure he and U.S. Rep. John Peterson (R-Pleasantville) have differences.

The congressional candidate just couldn't name any in an interview with PolitickerPa.com.

"Obviously, I'm sure there are issues we're on the opposite side of," he said, "I just don't know what those are at this point."

But Peterson's GOP heir apparent had no such problem describing how he and the retiring congressman are alike, especially about their shared opposition to tolls on Interstate 80.

BELLEFONTE -- Glenn Thompson's new headquarters is so empty and long -- it extends nearly half a football field from its back wall to front door -- the Republican congressional candidate might hear an echo if he yelled inside of it. The only desks in the downtown Bellefonte office are mostly pushed into a corner, sitting next to freshly opened cardboard boxes and piles of Styrofoam packing.

Fewer than a 100 days before the general election, he's still moving in.

It's odd to see any congressional candidate, much less a heavily favored Republican in the rural 5th Congressional District, moving into an office so near the election. The late relocation might even be interpreted as a warning sign that the candidate is ill-prepared for the fall.

The $123,171 raised in the second quarter by Republican congressional candidate Glenn Thompson isn't much compared to some other congressional candidates with a good chance at winning.

But it's like Fort Knox compared to what his opponent raised.

Democratic candidate Mark McCracken raised $14,813 during the same time period, giving him $7,877 on hand.

Thompson has nearly $75,000 more, with $83,867 on hand.

The fundraising totals only confirm Thompson's heavy-favorite status in the 5th Congressional District as he seeks to replace longtime Republican U.S. Rep. John Peterson.