Shapiro will NOT run for Senate in 2016 (vs. Toomey)

[MH1]

Maybe AG though.

Leaves Sestak as the only viable candidate vs Toomey, I believe. Sestak CAN beat Toomey, if the party unites behind him.


http://www.philly.com/philly/news/Montcos_Josh_Shapiro_Will_not_run_for_US_Senate.html

"I am incredibly humbled and flattered by their interest, but ultimately concluded I am not interested in going to Washington to be a legislator at this stage in my career," Shapiro said Friday in a brief interview.

Senior Democrats had been encouraging Shapiro to jump into the primary against Joe Sestak, a retired Navy rear admiral and former Delaware County congressman who lost a close race to Toomey in 2010 but who also has a strained relationship with members of the party establishment.

Shapiro last week telephoned the three Senate Democrats who had been encouraging him - Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada; New York's Charles Schumer; and Montana's Jon Tester, the chairman of the national party's Senate campaign committee - to decline. He also informed Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. Bob Casey.


Democratic insiders say that Shapiro has been considering a bid for state attorney general in 2016. Embattled incumbent Kathleen Kane, a Democrat, is facing potential criminal charges in the leak of secret grand jury information embarrassing to a political rival.

[onecaliberal]

1. Maybe Sestak doesn't get along with schemer because he's not a corp clone?

[MH1]

3. He's not, but he's no Bernie Sanders either.

Politically, he's much closer to Clinton than he is to Sanders. I think he's also moved right (wrong!) since losing to Toomey in 2010. This is probably to win more of the "Alabama" part of the state. I don't know if it will work. (Another possibility is that I've moved left, and he only looks more centrist to me than he did before.)

In 2010 he bucked the party establishment, gave up his House seat, took out Specter, then lost to Toomey. Only barely, and that was arguably the party's fault for not supporting him better after the primary, but more accurately that 2010 was a horrible turnout year for Democrats. (which, however, is exactly what some political tea leave readers had warned about in telling him to wait. He didn't listen and we lost both seats. Not Sestak's fault, IMO, but an important bit of context.)

[onecaliberal]

4. Makes sense. I remember hearing the party wasn't supporting him now.

There is only one Sanders for sure. As far as the national dems, I am done with them. They have cost us many elections. They are wholly own subsidiaries of corporations and banks.

[Curmudgeoness]

2. It pisses me off that the party power brokers are not supporting Sestak.

They will pay around with these games and end up giving Toomey another term if they don't get behind him....and give us a lot of support to beat Toomey. They had better figure it out, because just about anyone is better than what we have now.

[blue neen]

5. Agree with you analysis, MH1.

Sestak can beat Toomey, but he does need the Democratic party's help.