Brad Chism recently heard Jeff Pollack with Global Strategies Group offer some useful insights on the recent election in PA 12.  Pollack began by agreeing that voters are very angry at Washington. Jeff opimned that Cong. John Murtha probably would have lost his reelection bid had he not died in office. Still, the DCCC and the Democrats were able to rally to keep the seat.

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• Ÿ  DCCC has been heavily involved in candidate election in all 3 special election races this year. Mark Critz was their clear choice as the best candidate in the race.
• Ÿ  PA 12 race was a choice between “our values” and  “their values”.
• Ÿ  Critz talked about things that mattered locally.  He had a record of creating jobs in the private sector and was able to reference that. Critz didn’t get distracted by the effort to nationalize this race.  His opponent, by contrast, was a fountain of Tea Party rhetoric.
• Ÿ  Critz talked directly to voters. The media team had the candidate  talking to the camera. This will be very important this year. Incumbents have to explain themselves to voters.
• Ÿ  Critz responded to every single negative (He was able to differentiate himself from national party)