Penn Pals

Two new ads out today highlight why two PA incumbents are in deep trouble this cycle.

-- Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta (R) began running his first TV ad today: a positive spot that stresses his "change" agenda against 12-term Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D). GOPers say that even though Barletta's endured weeks of DCCC-sponsored TV attacks (and positive Kanjorski spots), Kanjorski's the one that's suffering some poll erosion. If that's true, then Barletta heads into the fall in great shape.

-- Phil English's (R-PA 03) new buy shows how complex a race he faces. Not only has he gone negative early on businesswoman Kathy Dahlkemper (D), but he also features Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama heavily in the ad, and not in a negative way. They're used to butress his argument that Dahlkemper needs to disclose her tax returns. This appears to be an acknowledgement that he not only faces a tough opponent, but also a tough landscape.

-- Both incumbents have touted their financial advantages as a reason that they'd hold off their upstart challengers. But so far, with Kanjorski and English already running ads for weeks, that cash edge may not be a cure-all for what ails them.