Chris Matthews Senate Run Speculation Fueled By Meeting With Pennsylvania Democrats

Los Angeles Times:

The Northeast's dwindling cast of Senate Republicans has Democrats circling Arlen Specter's seat in Pennsylvania, convinced the party is well-positioned to make a competitive race out of the 2010 election.

Leading the pack of prospects -- at least in celebrity -- is Chris Matthews, the MSNBC "Hardball" host and a former Capitol Hill Democratic staffer. The Philadelphia native has been toying with a run for months, and this week he sat down with state Democrats to discuss the prospect of taking on the five-term GOP senator.

Others considered in the mix include Rep. Joe Sestak, who is sitting on $3 million in campaign funds; state Rep. Josh Shapiro; and U.S. Rep. Allyson Y. Schwartz, a two-term Philadelphia area lawmaker who has moved up quickly on the Hill and has a Rolodex full of prospective donors from her unsuccessful 2000 Senate run. "We'll see," she said about a repeat bid.

"There are a lot of compelling reasons why serious Democrats would aspire to run in 2010," said Pennsylvania Democratic Party Chairman T.J. Rooney, who said Matthews had been in Pennsylvania Monday meeting with other Democratic leaders.

Read the whole story: Los Angeles Times

Comments

[BSERIUS]

Hey Chris , Looks like Franken couldn't beat Coleman, ,, Specter has better credentials so another mediocre comic won't win

[redneckliberalpostbush]

Coleman did as projected- like a checkmated chess player, he just knocked over the table. Typical for a "real American" lmao

[YellowDogInRedCounty]

Unless you are privy to information the rest of us don't have, I believe the Coleman/Franken race is yet to be decided.

[robXdion]

He should run. So he can learn some humility and accountability he doesn't have as an anchor.

[AdV2k1]

I like Mathews allot. However the current republican Arlen Specter isn't an extremest or anything horrible so I really don't care if he stays in that position.

[GeorgeP922]

Yea but wouldnt you want a Senator with a SPINE and a CONSCIOUS?

I don't see the person who branded "Hardball" to go in there and be Evan Bayh2.

Mathews might be the best thing to happen to our senate since Feingold.

[RobinSeattle]

Matthews is Joe Lieberman without the Senate seat. I don't want him anywhere near our caucus.

I still believe that he was passing information on to the GOP while he worked for Tip O'Neil, but that is admittedly speculation. However, he is an admitted Goldwater fan and friend of Scooter Libby and was for Libby's pardon.

[GeorgeP922]

Yea and Carville did the same thing in 2004, but you didn't see anyone ride him out of town tarred and feathered.

I can take someone with GOP ties, what I can't take is more cowards.

The Senate has a cancer, and as Democrats and Americans we have to find a cure for it.

[Budokan]

They guy is incoherent most of the time. And he wants to run for the Senate? Laughable.

[KFOman]

Who needs more fools in the congress? This is most stupidest anchor on TV.

[PersonaNonGrated]

Joe Scarborough's running again? ;-)

[BlueOnBlue]

We've come a long way in Pennsylvania politics. Please, please, let's not dumb it down for Matthews. Any of the other candidates mentioned about would be far better picks than Tweety.

[GeorgeP922]

Come a long way?

HAHAHAHa come ON!

Rendell made PA look clownish up and down, look man I live in Maryland, and their ain't nothing progressive in PA.

PA, what should be a "Blue" state cost the Democrats MILLIONS of dollars.

Virginia you got something there, Maryland and PA are asleep at the wheel, and WVA needs to be removed from the map (most racist state in the union)

[08politicaljunkie]

When did Chris Matthews join the Democratic Party? Why am I under the impression that he was "conservative?" Anyway, he's knowledgeable, knows people, knows his way around, could get things accomplished, truthful, ... Though Arlen's cool -- sometimes. Chris would get my vote.

[Budokan]

He was conservative when conservative was cool. Now he's progressive when progressive is cool.

Now you know all you need to know about Matthews, lol.

[GeorgeP922]

He worked for Democrats in the past.

And yes, if someone offered me milllions of dollars to defend Bush, I would take it.

But in my heart I think on truth serum everyone is liberal, so I will stand with Chris here.

(Im sure you didn't know that Russert was a succesful dem operative before tv)

[satyriasis]

This slobbering ignoramus wouldn't fit in with the senate at all. Still, at least he'll try to run for national office, unlike the other opinionated loudmouths in the DC/Manhattan chattering class.

[speeddeeps]

Joe Sestak is my man

[lisakaz2]

I ain't so sure. He was kinda wimpy as a Congressman. I wanted him to be stronger on issues but I found he wasn't. His idea that impeaching Boooo$h would damage the presidency (rather than defend it) was stooooopid imo.