Chris Matthews Senate Run? Report Says He's Staffing Up... UPDATE: Matthews Denies

Update 4:40 PM: Matthews had denied reports that he's hiring staff for a Senate campain in a statement posted on FiveThirtyEight.com, the site that originally reported the news.

"It is absolutely not true," said Matthews, in a statement.

***

Update: FiveThirtyEight has dialed back its report on Chris Matthews' potential senate run.

[EDIT -- 8:26 AM. I am changing the reporting and headline slightly to more cautiously reflect what our sources are telling us. Matthews, we have strong reason to believe, is hiring staff for a run at the Senate, although there have certainly been candidates in the past who have staffed up but subsequently elected not to run. -Nate]

For more, check out Jane Hamsher's new piece, "How Matthews Can Beat Specter"

* * * * *

FiveThirtyEight's original report:

Chris Matthews is in.

FiveThirtyEight has been hearing this for some time, but it took a trip to Georgia among the Georgia-runoff-congregated and well-connected Obama organizer throng to confirm.

According to multiple sources, who confirmed the Tip O'Neill staffer-cum-MSNBC host has negotiated with veteran Obama staffers to enlist in his campaign, Chris Matthews will run for United States Senate in Pennsylvania in 2010. Matthews, 62, will run as a Democrat. Arlen Specter, the aging Republican incumbent, will be 80 if he chooses to run for re-election.

Recent polls suggest that Matthews will have a hard time unseating Sen. Arlen Specter. Quinnipiac gives the Republican incumbent a double-digit lead:

In an early look at the 2010 U.S. Senate race, Republican incumbent Sen. Arlen Specter leads TV commentator Chris Matthews, a possible Democratic challenger, 45 - 33 percent. Sen. Specter leads 72 - 9 percent among Republicans and 45 - 27 percent among independent voters, while Matthews leads 55 - 25 percent among Democrats.

Story continues below

advertisement

Specter gets a 62 - 25 percent approval rating and by a 56 - 23 percent margin, voters have a favorable opinion of him.

For Matthews, 60 percent say they don't know enough about him to form an opinion.

The LA Times adds that Matthews will likely face stiff competition for the Democratic nomination.

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.

Comments

[jjpound]

He's an overtalker and a spittalker with poor professional boundaries. 3 strikes and you're out.

[freedomforever]

Keith's great. He's the best. Mika should have her own show and Joe is the absolute worst, but I appreciate him trying to save the auto industry. Rachel is ok. I watch her when I am not listening to Mike Malloy who is wonderful.

[freedomforever]

It would be great if he ran, then he would be off msnbc which would be fantastic, after the stuff he drug up about Hillary and Barak, I'm so tired of him.

[Pegi]

If I lived in Pa. I would vote for Chris in a heartbeat!

[Bosoxfan]

If I lived in Pa. and he was my Senator, I would move to Alaska, no wait..mayb­e move to Arizona
,hmm,bad move there also. Aw, to heck with it,I'll stay here with Barney Frank and Uncle Teddy. I guess there's no escaping our incompetent elected officials. Yesterday FOX and CNN are running the news and the tragedy in India, MSNBC is showing "Caught on Camera"? This outfit wants to be a credible news organization? Who's in charge, anyone? I guess that's why they make remotes.

[NewRiver]

They are searching for a cause to support. If Obama gets off to a rough start (and I hope he doesn't) it will be interesting to see what, if any, "journalistic integrity" that network may have.

[Witchitalineman]

I wouldn't but I encourage him to run just to get him off the network.

[strangerinthenight]

Fine.

Any where but Pennsylvania. PA has good source of candidate ready to challenge Arlen Specter, although, he is not really Bushiehen. We do not need Matthews, a chicken without a head-yacke­etee-yacki­ng-motor-m­outh, running around the Senate representing us. An insult to Pennsylvania.

[loveu2]

He never stops talking. He asks a question and then answers it himself! Drives me crazy with his constant interrupting!

[johnnynyc]

This is not the first time HuffPo's headline didn't accurately reflect what was in the story.

Either this is done intentionally to ramp up emotions and ramp up the clicks or HuffPo needs some professional journalists (perish the thought) to help get its act together.

[Bosoxfan]

Professional journalists on the HuffPo? That may be the biggest oxymoron of all time. If you're not on board, you're censored. WTF?

[strangerinthenight]

To view them as journalist, is your first mistake. Huffpo is a liberal blog, democratic of some sort and clearly has an agenda. But, I do thank them that at least I can voice an opinion, for or against the topic.

Take them for what they are, and just keep on making comments - for or against an issue.

[RobinSeattle]

Silver may still have been right. I have been saying for a few years now that Matthews would make a Senate run (and I suspect that he also tried to get a job through back channels in the Bush White House and was rebuffed) and he may have started putting a staff in place. But then he saw the poll numbers and may have also received a lukewarm response from big Democratic donors and decided that he didn't have the necessities to make a candidacy viable.

Or he is blowing smoke up Nate's behind. Like he hasn't been doing that to all and sundry all his life.

[johnnynyc]

Its very possible Matthews floated a trial balloon and its very possible HuffPo ramped up its headline to get a response.

Seems like the perfect storm to me.

[mrsbee]

What i could not figure out was that Chris was on every talk show recently talking about how he was in the tank for Obama and readily admitting it...even toasting him on Ellen...an­d then criticizing him for his picks in his cabinet and other posts....I didn't get it until now...play­ing both sides...to­tal political sense...ju­st right for the Senate.

[Bitsko]

The man has obvious problems in that regard. On election night, he was going on about Michele Bachmann's campaign and how he expect her to lose and chuckling with his guest about her controversial campaign ads, and then he finished with, "But I love her!"

That's why I haven't watched him since.

[slytot7]

I stopped watching him several months ago for precisely the same reason...b­ut involving someone else. I think he will make an awfully ineffective and intellectually dishonest senator...­.... which is fine with me...consi­dering we have the likes of chamblis from georgia in the senate who is a truly " stupidity personified"

[Moka11]

He could drown Arlen Specter with his spittle in a debate.

[jcwtts1]

Spec isn't running. It is going to be an open field and with Casey already in the senate, CM has a real shot. His brother is the republican chair of Montgomery County. To win the seats CM has to carry Philly, and he will, Bucks, Montgomery, Chester, and Delaware counties. Delaware is a catholic stronghold, he will do well. The thing is though he needs to win all of them. He can, Rendel (sp) won all sixteen eastern counties. It can be done. Obama did it. But it is tough. I think he can pull it off.

J

[apeman637]

go on Chris knock em out of the park. Arlan Spector should go now been around to long -signed off on Warren report to fast 80 should be the term limit. Chris will be butally honest and unaffraid in front of the reporters that would be a change.

[horsey]

Could you please ask Matthews to "promise" he won't run. the guy is an embarrassment even to politicians. he'd make a great used car salesman.

[Bitsko]

He's Imus without a hat.

[lobo1939]

Well, we know for one thing, no other senator will be able to talk if he gets elected.

[SparkyDash]

lol

[SparkyDash]

Go for it, Tweet. I'm a big believer in allowing individuals to change and to admit to the fact. As long as you are truthful, feel a strong calling to do good service for others, and feel elected office will help you fulfill your goal, then by gosh go for it, Chris. This is America after all. I'm a Dem who likes Sen. Arlen Specter...­I respect some of the choices he's made and think he has shown integrity going against Repubs on occasion. That can't be easy. Voters can and will decide these things.

[Bitsko]

The shortest snipe hunt in history.

[mnieman101]

He should run. I'm guessing he will. He loves the Senate. He knows he old and its now or never. Tip did not mentor him for Harball--at least the show.

[whoaamerica]

I don't think he will run. I think he is just probably setting up a trial ballon and I am a moderate Republican and Arlene Spector is a resonable guy and a guy that one might wanna get on your side.

I like Keith Olbermann better.

[lobo1939]

Like, Arlene is not going to live forever. He is 80 and in poor health. Keith is a showman. Chris, although he talks too much, has more substance.

[slytot7]

Keith a show man? He is argueably the most intelligent and erudite man in the news business in ALL of america. That you perceive him as a "show man" says a lot about your......­..........­...well...­better to be kind.