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.

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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"

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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.

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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

[voltaire11]

Lynn Swann vs Chris Matthews in a debate? I figure Swann would be who the Republicans' choice since he has name appeal and has run for several offices and lost. Matthews would cream him in debate..bu­t it would be a close race.

[GeoLee]

I think there are a lot of Clinton voters in PA who might have a harder time voting for Chris Matthews than they did for Obama...es­pecially if Specter plays to the center and is not part of any further filibustering 40 vote crapola. He was by far the nastiest of MSNBC commentators in his total dislike of Hillary...­and is current nice nice stuff is so insincere.­..now we know why, I guess.

[justwaitandsee]

Was he the nastiest or the most honest

[Jjc2006]

How about you try getting a reality check. Go google some YouTube stuff.....­on Mathews. Go to Media Matters. Mathews hatred for Hillary is sick but then some of you here are so easily distorted by the right, you buy this crap.

[McChimp]

If Matthews takes the Obama way of appeal, disagree without being disagreeable, then Matthews could win over the Hillary voters.

[Hugh-Gee]

Do you think he knows how to "disagree without being disagreeable?"

I think he's got too much baggage to become a serious candidate. But then, I probably would've said the same thing about that Schwarzenegger fellow.

[KarateKid]

KO was nastier. And they were both right on the money. It was Hillary who threw the kitchen sink at Obama and started it, and guess who got the last word?

[berrycooda]

Some credential­s....

TV Commentato­r.....????­?

Although some people voted for a "pro wrestler" for governor of (Minnesota) ?

And a peanut farmer for Democratic President a few years ago....

Maybe this is one of the reasons America is not too well informed..­...

[McChimp]

and what were Sarah Palin's qualifications? Mayor of a town of 9,000? Point guard on the HS basketball team? Runner-up in a beauty pageant?

Take your ignorance out of here and over to the Fox Noise website you i d iot!!!

[berrycooda]

Do you actually think (with your sarcastic remarks) that Pres. Bush was
the only one involved in Washington while all these messes were happening.
Don't forget, Congress voted for the war.
No matter who they think caused 9/11. Bin Laden could have been stopped in
the 90's but nothing was done about him.

The economy has been going down hill ever since Nafta in the 90's and
prior to that.
The housing is a result of a lot of different things.
Banks...po­or lending...­people taking loans on 250,000 homes knowing full well
they couldn't afford it on a low income.
And real estate that has lost value and people who more on their homes than they
are worth, are letting their homes be foreclosed on and I don't blame them.

I'm not sticking up for Pres. Bush, but spread the blame around because it
isn't his alone to claim.

[ThunderclapNewman]

Matthews also worked for Tip O'Neil and for the Carter White House.

[dwright]

Actually President Carter was a nuclear physicist and a naval officer. And I heard that x-wrestler speak at Georgetown and he was quite refreshing.

hmmm look back - seek and you will find some interesting items in those Bushie bios.

Bush failed in every endeavor that he ever sought, unless of course you are talking about his insider trading profits. He also signed more death warrants and more folks were killed in TX than in almost any other Governorship in modern history. Even those that were "born again" and had been for decades were not spared. In my opinion, he failed as a Christian in that respect.

I think the Buck Stops at the President's door; if it happens on his/her watch, they own it no matter who is president, so Bush gets the credit for 9/11, the Iraq mess, the foreclosure crisis and other economic woes, to top it off he can also take the credit for the rise in joblessness and homelessness, last but not least he can fully claim the credit for the formation of the largest paramilitary organization in the world and it is entrench in our own country and all over the world. Pres. Eisenhower warned us, and yes, Pres. Bush has made Blackwater our new nightmare.

I recently heard that someone is trying to blame Obama for the economy :0) that is almost laughable if it wasn't so sad. I suppose Cheney distributed the memo.

[derekc06]

indeed this comment is one of the reasons America is not too well informed..­.

WHY DO PEOPLE POST BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT?

supreme intelligence must be the answer

[McChimp]

Chris Matthews: you either love him or you hate him. Chris supported Bush in 2000, supported the Iraq war, but like most Democrats has realized the error of his ways.

Sure Chris Matthews flips the script, but that's how Washington works, Obama realized that which is why he voted for FISA and other things. We need people like Matthews in Washington that aren't afraid to play Hardball and challenge their opponents on the issues. Plus if it wasn't for Matthews, we wouldn't have gotten to see Ms McCarthyite Michelle Bachmann get exposed.

If Chris Matthews decides to run, good luck to him, I actually hope he is able to succeed. If not, I'll enjoy watching him on Hardball taking on more Republicans during the next four years.

[TheBrizz]

Yeah, we all know how accurate polls are for elections that are two years away. I'm still waiting for the phone call to work on Hillary's transition team. Oh, wait a minute...

[voter42]

I know other candidates have run for office in states they were not residents of for very long, but is there some kind of length of residency requirement? As far as I know, Matthews has been a resident of MD for a long time. Will it matter to the people in PA that he's testing the waters from outside the border?

[YellowDogInRedCounty]

He's a Philly native and still has lots of family in PA so that shouldn't be much of a problem.

[derekc06]

he's from phillly

[ckdogs]

I think it's a great idea. Chris is smart, asks penetrating questions, and doesn't let his guests get away with nonsense answers. How great to have a senator like that. My only caveat is that when people run for office, they suddenly get mealy mouthed and mushy. If he stays the straight shooter that he has been, he'll have my support. Alas, it will have to be financial, as I'm not a resident of Pa.

If Franken wins - the two of them could bring some fresh air to the Senate.

[shela88]

Chris Matthews was a good friend to the Democrats and the Obama campaign especially. His support was all the more effective brcause we didn't see it coming. I would love to see him run for the senate and unseat Arlen Specter. Specter is a die-hard Republican who often agrees with the Democrats on issues but will never give us his vote. It is an old Washington way of doing the people's business and it's a major problem.

While I would miss playing "Hardball" with Chris..I wish him the best.

[justwaitandsee]

Thank you for your mature assessment of Chris Matthews. There are many who are giving adolescent assessment without any concrete explanations of their points of view just insults.

[Jjc2006]

Mature? That's laughable.
If spinning is "mature" we are in trouble. Learn some true history. Google Matthews on Media Matters, on YouTube and get some truth. Mathews personal sick bias and misogyny so pleased some of you, you are blinded by the truth.
Matthews trashed Al Gore most of 1999. He pushed the spin and lies of the right against Gore and LOVED him some W. He claims to be anti war but drooled over the flight deck Bush and admired his "sunny nobility" AFTER BUSH INVADED IRAQ.
He gave voice to Ann Coulter, Tom Delay and Laura Ingram.
He got ratings for hating and trashing a democrat (Hillary and Bill) long before the primaries.
Dare you. Do some real research and allow the truth to permeate this right wing mentality here that loves anyone who hates a Clinton.

[tallcoolone47]

Matthews is a joke if the people of PA elect him they need their collective heads examined

[TheGuide]

He's okay. Just a different type of personality, but Chris well informed and smart. I'd say he has a shot.

[robbie44]

Hey, he did a penetrating exposé into Bachman, that something.

[CheshireCat2]

And to think he got paid for the last two years to run his own campaign by MSNBC.

[McChimp]

And Fox Noise ran George Bush's campaign for the past eight years being a mouthpiece, and then Arnold's when he was running for Governor..­. what's your point?

[CheshireCat2]

I made my point. You chose to yap rather than to consider it.

Keep yapping.

[KarateKid]

Aw, poor cheshire, still crying and whining. Poor baby puneta.

[suuzie]

I hope this is true, it would certainly be good for the people of Pa. Go for it Chris, you would be suprised of the support you have on the political front.

[CheshireCat2]

He is a colossal idi0t.

[McChimp]

Spoken like a true republiborg.

[justwaitandsee]

No he isn't, grow up and stop looking for sugar coating interviewing

[GiancarloJones]

Chris Matthews is an egomaniacal blowhard! Perhaps he will fit right in the Senate.

[CheshireCat2]

I agree with your first sentence.

[McChimp]

Two peas in a pod.

[RobertAndropolis]

Loose cannon. Unguided missile. Love him, hate him, whatever your metaphor, Matthews is erratic. He sees inept officials like Stevens and Palin and says to himself, "Well, why not me?"

[adzeman]

On one hand, he runs and I don't have to hear his annoying voice on TV, plus the rude interruptions of his guests and co-workers. On the other hand, as a Pa resident, I'd have to put up with him for a lot of years.
Sorry Matthews, I just don't think this state is big enough for the both of us...