Sam Bennett

Three House Republicans from Pennsylvania who had voted against the original $700-billion bailout bill on Monday changed course Friday to support an amended bailout package that had already passed the Senate.

House Republicans were largely blamed for the original legislation's demise, and some lawmakers may have been bending to changing public opinion after stock markets plummeted following Monday's vote.

U.S. Reps. Bill Shuster (R-Frankstown), Jim Gerlach (R-West Pikeland) and Charlie Dent (R-Allentown) all voted for the bill Friday after opposing it Monday.

None of the three is facing a particularly competitive reelection challenge-at least compared to other vulnerable incumbents. Shuster faces Tony Barr in the 9th Congressional District, Gerlach is running against Bob Roggio in the 6th Congressional District and Dent is being challenged by Sam Bennett in the 15th Congressional District.

No Democrats changed their vote.

Former New York Mayor and presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani is in Pennsylvania today to campaign for Republican incumbents in Congress.

Giuliani will join U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach (R-West Pikeland) in a visit to software developer Analytical Graphics Inc. in Exton, Chester County. Gerlach is running against Democrat Bob Roggio in the 6th Congressional District.

He will also rally for U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Allentown) in Bethlehem. Dent is running against Democrat Sam Bennett in the 15th Congressional District.

Democrat Sam Bennett has a tough challenge in taking on U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Allentown) in the 15th Congressional District. With Pennsylvania full of congressional races considered to be more competitive, and Democratic incumbents in vulnerable position, it is no doubt a difficult climate in which to raise the money needed to unseat Dent.

But these obstacles aside, Bennett says she's confident that voters feel it's time for the seat to change hands, and that there will be enough money in Democratic circles to propel her to victory. She has raised more money than any Democratic challenger in the state.

"Is it a competitive environment? Sure it is," Bennett said during a conference call with reporters this week.

Touting her campaign's recent addition to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's Red-to-Blue list, Bennett said her recently improved fundraising would continue.

"The DCCC acknowledges that the work we've already done has taken us here," she said.

With her campaign for Congress just starting to build some momentum, Democrat Sam Bennett has had to replace her campaign manager once again.

Kathryn Seck left the campaign after only a few months on staff, The Morning Call reports. That follows the departure of campaign manager Hannah Miller. Seck will be replaced by Josh Levin, who the campaign said has led on high-profile campaigns in more than half-a-dozen state.

Seck, The Morning Call reported, cited differences over the future of the campaign.

"Sam and I disagreed on management of the campaign going forward,'' Seck told the newspaper. ''I accomplished what I came to do, which was getting the EMILY'S List endorsement and into the [Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's] Red to Blue program. So now is an appropriate time for someone else to step in and take the campaign to the finish line."

Bennett, who faces U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Allentown) in the 15th Congressional District, said Levin had the credentials to lead the campaign toward Election Day.

''He has the campaign experience and the leadership ability that we'll need to move our campaign forward on the path to victory,'' she said.

The race for the 15th Congressional District seat is now in full swing, with both candidates airing television advertisements throughout the district and accusations of dishonest campaigning flying freely.

The race, in which underdog Democrat Sam Bennett is trying to unseat U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Allentown), had stayed under the political radar for months. But after Bennett recently made the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's "Red to Blue" list, her campaign is being more closely watched to see if she can continue recent improvements in her fundraising.

She'll have to combat attack ads put out by Dent, which variably accuse her of "lying" and "ripping off" money from a political patronage job provided by her "Harrisburg political pals."

Several of the claims in the ads were debunked or clarified by The Morning Call, which quoted Bennett calling the ads "George Bush-Karl Rove smear tactics of the past."

"He can run on his rhetoric, but he can't hide from his record," Bennett campaign spokesman Gary Ritterstein said in a statement.

Bennett, for her part, has struck a more positive tone in her campaigning, but hasn't been above the occasional attack herself. One ad spotlights her time heading a community group to clean up neighborhoods, while another features supposed voters happily thanking Dent for high gas prices and the Iraq War (embedded below).

Former New York mayor and presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani is coming to Pennsylvania to help out U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Allentown), The Morning Call reports.

Giuliani is scheduled to appear at a fundraiser for Dent Oct. 3.

Dent, who was an early supporter of Giuliani's bid for the Republican presidential nomination, faces Democrat Sam Bennett in the 15th Congressional District.

Democrat Sam Bennett's campaign for Congress could get a significant boost after she was added to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's "Red to Blue" program, The Morning Call reports.

Bennett, who is challening U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Allentown) has improved her fundraising of late, nearly matching Dent's second quarter numbers.

The two candidates have four debates scheduled before Election Day, starting Sept. 21 in Allentown.

Congressman Charlie Dent is doing something most incumbents would never do and deserves to be applauded.  Dent has agreed to two televised debates and as many as five face-to-face appearances with his democratic challenger Sam Bennett.  While Dent did turn down other debate opportunities, the fact that he is giving Bennett five face-o-face opportunities with two televised debates is a lesson some other incumbents (See Chris Carney) could learn from.  Voters deserve plenty of opportunity from all sides to see their candidates debate. 

Shortly after PolitickerPa.com reported Democrat Sam Bennett's debate challenge to U.S. Rep. Charles Dent (R-Allentown), the Dent campaign issued a response.

While saying that Dent "looks forward" to debating Bennet on energy and how her 'drill nothing' approach will increase the price at the pump that Americans will have to pay," the campaign also said her timing showed that she "doesn't get it."

Challenging your political opponent to debates is all the rage these days.  First U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) did it, calling on his presidential opponent, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), to join him in town-hall style debates. Picking up the cue, Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta has been challenging U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D-Nanticoke City) to a series of debates

Now it's Democrat Sam Bennett's term. Struggling to gain traction in her race against U.S. Rep. Charles Dent (R-Allentown) in the 15th Congressional District, Bennett on Wednesday asked Dent to join her in a debate about gas prices.

"For four years Charlie Dent has voted with George Bush on energy policies that have rewarded their Big Oil friends and done nothing to lower gas prices. We need an advocate in Congress who will enact policies that will hold Big Oil accountable, invest in renewable fuels, and reduce our dependence on foreign oil," Bennett said in a statement. "If Charlie Dent is serious about reducing gas prices, he'll meet me to discuss the issue in August."

Dent campaign manager Shawn Millan could not immediately be reached for comment.