Dog Food, Democrats, Davis

Okay, I've now had more than 50,000 (!) visitors to my various blogs. My goal is get 150,000-plus additional visitors by Election Day. If I can somehow accomplish that, as well as get many other bloggers to "adopt" some outstanding candidates, those could be major factors in getting one (or more!) my "underdog" congressional candidates elected. You can read about several outstanding candidates on: http://pennsylvaniaforjohmccain.blogspot.com. In fact, you're there/here now. Keep coming back and tell your friends and supporters know this site exists. Any ad revenue I can generated from Google AdSense (on will go to the candidates.

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It’s come to my attention (and how!) that a lot of Republicans are concerned about Rep. Tom Davis’ recent 20-page memo proclaiming the Republican Party as the equivalent of a “dead man walking.” He said if the “Republican Party brand” was a “dog food” it would be pulled from the shelves.

[Insert: Note to Candidates: Read the bottom of this column]

Davis is a 7th term Republican congressman from Virginia’s 11th District (Fairfax County, just outside DC). He’s retiring this year on a huge pension and life-time health benefits for him and his. As a congressman, he’s as “Beltway as it gets.” He’s one of a handful of Christian Scientists in Congress.

I hope he doesn’t regard his leaving as one of the operative causes of what he sees as the demise of the Republican Party. His comments don’t frighten me; they irritate me.

If the Republican Party has its troubles – and it does – people like him are responsible. He’s one of the Republican “leaders.” Tom Davis, whose voting record is half liberal, half conservative, voted for most of the big spending bills he now decries.

He loved his “earmarks,” those wasteful “special projects” made famous by Alaska’s “Bridge to Nowhere.” He never realized that no Republican congressman or congresswoman anymore can support earmarks, because they are invariably wasteful spending that adds to the budget deficit.

Tom’s constituents are presumably creating uproar over gasoline prices reaching $4 a gallon. However, Tom voted against drilling in ANWR, one of a number of Republicans who did so. Tom is one of those Republicans who think it’s a good idea to drill for and produce oil in other countries, but not in ours. People in Mideast call that hypocrisy, and it’s one reason they refuse to produce additional oil to satisfy our needs.

As I suggested earlier, Tom is one of those who uses the hip phrase “Republican brand.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “History is the lengthened shadow of a man (person).” Well, Tom, a political Party is the extension of the people in it. It is not “Frosted Flakes” or a Hyundai car.

If you have excellent people, you have a great Party. If you more than your share of Mark Foleys (of nasty e-mail fame), or Duke Cunningham (now in jail for bribery), or Bob Ney (also in jail), you have a Party that needs to rethink who it is and what it wants to be.

The Democrat’s “brand” is doing very well either. Right now, the national approval rating for Congress is lower than George Bush’s. It’s at 22%. That figure is a vote on the performance of people like Tom Davis. It’s a failing grade and one people like him richly deserve.

The Republican “brand” (i.e., the people running for office) in Pennsylvania is very strong. That’s because the people – Melissa Hart, Marina Kats, Tom Manion, Toni Gilhooley, and Mike Livingston – are outstanding human beings. Their life stories are tales of heroism and perseverance in the face of adversity.

Tom Manion (from Bucks county) is a career Marine whose Naval Academy graduate son, Travis, died for his country in Iraq. He may or may not win in November, but if there's a better man in the Commonwealth I'd love to meet him. Toni Gilhooley is a 25-year-veteran of the PA State Police. Marina Kat emigrated from Russia and become one of the top businesswomen and attorneys in the state. Melissa Hart grew up in tough circumstances and became a congresswoman. Mike Livingston is an attorney and an expert on taxes. The U.S. House would benefit from their presence.

Tom Davis one of the rudderless “leaders” who helped create the mess in Washington. Now, he’s turned around and, for the first time in his life, discovered there . . . a mess.

Spare us your lectures Tom. In Pennsylvania we’re planning to send a much better grade of people to Congress. They are going to solve problems – in national security, in spending, in terrorism threats, in education, and in crime – that you barely touched in your 14 years in the House. You walked many miles in the Halls of Congress, but you never left a footprint.

The Republican congressional candidates in Pennsylvania are going to take back seats we lost in 2006 –and add a couple of surprises for the Democrats.

(More on this and related subjects in coming days. The columns will be on my Pennsylvania blog and on the two national ones. Your comments are welcome.


BELOW: HOW MANY REPUBLICANS ARE AWARE OF THIS DISTINGUISHED HISTORY OF OUR PARTY? (FROM: http://grandoldpartisan.typepad.com/)

Abraham Lincoln, the Republican Party's second presidential nominee

On this day in 1860, Abraham Lincoln won the Republican Party's presidential nomination. Easily overlooked is the fact that both he and the 1856 nominee, Georgia's John C. Fremont, were southerners.

John Marshall Harlan, Republican dissenter from the Plessy v. Ferguson decision

On this day in 1896, the U.S. Supreme Court issued the Plessy v. Ferguson decision, which declared "separate but equal" to be constitutional. Dissenting from this infamous decision was Justice John Marshall Harlan, who wrote:"Our Constitution is color-blind, and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens."

After commanding a U.S. Army regiment during the Civil War, Harlan was elected Attorney General of Kentucky in 1863. Running on the Republican ticket, he lost two races for Governor before President Rutherford Hayes (R-OH) appointed him to the Supreme Court in 1877.

President Eisenhower appointed his grandson, John Harlan II, to the Supreme Court in 1955.

Republican candidates for Federal Office: I'm willing to assist in any reasonable way I can. My background is as a speechwriter and policy analyst for very large companies, including Phillips Petroleum, Gulf Oil, USX, Aetna, Merck, and Lilly. I will help with any documents or speeches you need. Just give me some advance notice and a general sense of what you want to say. I also work with a number of political operatives and strategists around the country. Our emphasis is on low-cost, high-impact politics. I don't charge Republican candidates for services, but if you raise a couple of million dollars (relax, you won't), I might change my mind. E-mail me at: TalkTop65@aol.com and I'll send my phone number.

How Underdog Candidates Can Win

On my always-fun Hillary site (click), I write often about Democratic politics. I do so in a respectful way, except perhaps when it comes to Obama, who's a total sad-sack. At times, he makes Rev. Wright look good by comparison. When I started the Hillary site, I did wonder if I'd have enough to write about, but that hasn't been a problem. Here's what I'll be writing about there over the next 7-10 days: (1) Will Hillary sit the Election Out? (2) Why are the Clinton's long-time political allies deserting her? (3) Why did John Edwards endorse Barack Obama? (Hint: can you say vice-presidency?) (4) Why have Black voters deserted the wife of the man who used to be called "The first Black President?" (5) Why might Obama's almost-total lock on the Black vote actually hurt him in the General Election? (6) Why is the date May 31 critical to Hillary's future and her attitudes about supporting Obama? (And if it's okay for almost all Blacks to vote for a Black person, why isn't it okay for most whites to vote for a Caucasian?) I guarantee your favorite cable network (even the "sainted" FOX) won't be dealing with these issues. Come visit, okay?

To new visitors, and there will be many coming in over the next six-eight weeks, thanks for coming. I'm trying to bring this blog to the attention of 500 or so Pennsylvanian movers-and-shakers, so that it might have a real influence on the campaigns. I'm also asking my friends on BlogTalkRadio -- and I have many such friends -- to invite the candidates supported here to appear on various radio shows. I want to do my part to make the candidates famous (and for more than "15 minutes"). If you visit here regularly, tell your friends and family members that I exist! I believe that Patrick Murphy (see below) is sorry that I exist, but you can't please everybody.

Be sure to visit Tom Manion's site -- and offer him your support.

This blog exists to generate support for John McCain and several outstanding congressional candidates in the battleground state of Pennsylvania. Except on rare occasions, I won't be providing juicy tidbits (the pseudo "breaking news" you find on some blogs and in the media generally). Instead, the emphasis here will be on strategies and tactics needed for victory.

I'm focusing on several candidates: Tom Manion (8th district, Bucks County area), Melissa Hart (4th district, west and north of Pittsburgh), Toni Gilhooley (17th district, Harrisburg and points east), Marina Kats (13th district, Northeast Philly and Montgomery County), and Mike Livingston (Philly west of Broad St.).

All these candidates, with the possible exception of Hart, are big underdogs. Their Democrat opponent have now -- and will have -- a lot more money. As sitting members of Congress, the Democrats can hand out political "goodies" in the form of earmarks, basically handouts designed to buy votes.

My emphasis -- like the candidates' -- will be on winning. In the Bible, we read that the race doesn't always go to the "swift," but in politics the race usually goes to the hardest worker.

The way is to win is to confront as many voters as possible face-to-face. Ask enough people directly for their votes -- and, concurrently, for their money -- and you can win.

Yesterday, I received the following information from Melissa Hart's campaign:

Door Knocking with Melissa

Melissa has been out going door-to-door around the District. So far, she has been to Beaver, Plum and West Deer. The response has been great and Melissa is really enjoying hearing what is on the minds of people in the 4th District.

Let us know if you would like to join Melissa or can help get a group of volunteers together in your area.

Email Alicia@peoplewithhart.com or call the office 724-779-4750

If you live in the 4th district -- or nearby -- send Alicia an e-mail or give her a call.

Good for Melissa Hart, campaign manager Alicia Collins, and the many campaign supporters. If they knock on enough doors -- and I believe they will -- Melissa Hart can win against incumbent Jason Altmire. It's that simple.

Again, this site can play a significant role in the victories of some fine candidates. You can help by bring this site to the attention of friends and your local media, including the weekly papers that play such a big role in smaller communities. Thanks for your help!

Republican Disaster -- or Great Opportunity?

I was on BlogTalkRadio Thursday evening with Eric Dondero (host) and Murray Sabrin (Republican primary candidate for NJ U.S. Senate). The broadcast is avaiable (on podcast) at www.blogtalkradio.com/libertarian. I urge you to listen (only partly because I'm on it and you get to hear my Rochester, NY accent) but mainly because Eric and I launched something you haven't heard recently: a ferocious defense of the Iraq War (and John McCain's position on it). Would love to hear your thoughts at TalkTop65@aol.com. On the show I called attention to the web sites of Melissa Hart, Toni Gilhooley, Michael Livingston, Marina Kats, and Tom Manion. Tom is a former Marine colonel. Sadly, his son Travis was killed in action in Iraq. Say a prayer for Tom and his son.

Hart: http://www.peoplewithhart.com/
Gilhooley: http://www.gilhooleyforcongress.com/
Livingston: http://www.livingstonforcongress.com/
Kats: http://www.katsforcongress.com/.
Manion: http://www.votemanion.com/

Please take a few minutes to visit the web sites of these wonderful candidates -- and offer them whatever support you can provide. Thanks



Media, candidates, activists, and others: Please feel free to post, reprint, forward, or discuss this piece. Candidates: I hope you'll establish a link on your own web site and tell your visitors that I'll be writing regularly about your campaign. The url for this blog is: http://pennsylvaniaforjohnmccain.blogspot.com. Eventually, our combined efforts should result in tens of thousands of "hits" on your web site, which will generate various form of support, including contributions. "We must all hang together, or most assuredly, we will all hang separately." (B. Franklin) I receive no financial support or direction from any candidate. If you need to correspond via e-mail, you can reach me at: TalkTop65@aol.com.

Today, I’m writing broadly about the following piece from http://www.politico.com/:

"GOP Leaders Warn of Election Disasterpolitico.com — Shell-shocked House Republicans got warnings from leaders past and present Tuesday: Your party’s message isn’t good enough to prevent disaster in November, and neither is the NRCC’s [National Republican Congressional Committee's] money. The Republican brand has been so badly damaged that if Republicans try to run an anti-Obama or anti-Rev. Wright campaign, they are simply going to fail. More… (US Elections 2008)."

The article's message is either poppycock or balderdash. I haven't figured out which. A candidate's "brand" is not the Party. Rather, it is the candidate herself or himself. Also, if those supposed "leaders" had done a better job leading, well, things would be better.

If our “leaders” (former and present) are people like Don Young (political architect of the “Bridge to Nowhere”), Tom DeLay, Mark Foley, Newt-of-many-wives and Tom Reynolds (who had to spend $5.2 million to get reelected in a solidly Republican district), well we can live without leaders like them.

The real leaders of the Republican Party are people like Bonnie West of Washington, PA, Sharon Caliendo of Norman, Oklahoma, Adam Brickley of Colorado Springs, and Brad Marston of Boston, Massachusetts. They’re out there this year – as in the past – busting their butts to send great candidates to Washington, DC. You’ve never heard of them perhaps, but you’ve seen the political fruits of their labors.

Political operative Sharon Caliendo is one of the main reasons Dr. Tom Coburn is in the U.S. Senate – and not back practicing gynecology. Adam Brickley almost single-handedly engineering the rise of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to national prominence and vice-presidential consideration. Brad Marston helped resuscitate what appeared to be the stone-dead campaign of John McCain. Bonnie West has been a key factor in revitalizing the Republican Party in a critical area of western Pennsylvania.

I wouldn’t trade one of them for four Tom DeLays.There's much hand-wringing lately over the loss of Republican candidate Woody Jenkins in a supposedly "safe" election in Louisiana. As Karl Rove put it Tuesday night, "Look, Woody Jenkins [who's lost more elections than Britney Spears has misplaced underwear] is a fine man, but he's terrible candidate." I support only exceptional candidates.

As for Woody's loss, the best way to get candidates for congressional races is NOT to "round up all the usual suspects." Instead, get people who have great integrity and a real passion for the voters of their district. They usually win – later if not sooner.

Long-time readers will know that I regularly rage against the NRCC for not giving Diana Irey a dime. She was the Republican candidate who ran so ferociously and well against “The Prince of Pork,” John Murtha. It can be a thankless task running against someone like Murtha who has sold his soul to every lobbyist with a bag-full of cash.

Diana raised $856,000 on her own. She got contributions from all 50 states. Her total number of contributors was 7,000 – significantly more than Murtha’s total, although he had many more large donors. Many of those who donated to Diana’s campaign were giving money for the first time to a political candidate.

The Diana Lynn Ireys of the world are the future of the Republican Party. She is a rock of integrity, a devoted Christian who has “a love affair with humanity.” She’s teenie (5 foot, 100 pounds) but as an orator she outdoes Barack Obama.

At the same time Diana was getting zip from the national Republican establishment, Mark Foley – prior to the nasty e-mails scandal – had accumulated a campaign war chest of, oh, $2 million. I assume Mark was not one of the “leaders” cited by Politico.com.

How can good Republican candidates – in spite of Politco’s ominous message – win this year? A while back, Sharon Caliendo sent me her analysis of how Mary Fallin, a congresswoman from the Oklahoma City area (5th district) won.

Some people, even the brilliant Michael Barone, portray Mary’s district as a Republican “slam-dunk.” But is it really? In fact, the district is two-third white – and one-third other. In fact, it sounds suspiciously like one of those districts where Democrats run unopposed election cycle after election cycle.

Sharon said that Mary went door-to-door month after month. She wore out several pairs of shoes. She raised a good deal of money, mainly because she would not take “no” for an answer. She ended up winning by 60% to 37% in what was supposedly (and actually) a horrible year for Republicans.

I am working very hard to ensure that John McCain wins the 21 electoral votes of Pennsylvania, which probably will ensure that he wins the presidency.

I’m also doing everything in my power to ensure that Melissa Hart wins back her congressional seat in western Pennsylvania, that Toni Gilhooley wins her uphill battle in Harrisburg and parts east, and that Marina Kats defeats the indescribably awful Allyson Schwartz in Montgomery County and Northeast Philadelphia. I’m also supporting Michael Livingston in a very difficult race in Philadelphia.

These three women will come nowhere near outspending their opponents, but they will outwork them and outsmart them. Gee, what do we have to do to restore the Republican “brand?” We need to go out with superior candidates – like Melissa, Toni, Michael, and Marina – and advance the process of winning elections.

Sharon Caliendo added the following comment about the NRCC (which is not having a good day on this blog): "There was another seat that they wasted tons of money on before this one too. I want to go back to the days where we supported our Congressional candidates and not an organization like the NRCC that plays favorites. Campaigns were less expensive then too and the candidates elected were not beholden to the powers that be at NRCC."

Gee, why can't the NRCC raise any decent money? Perhaps because contributors have figured out the national Party is sending it mainly to the GOP's version of "The Ghosts of Christmas Past." The NRCC should restrict itself to technical and communications support for candidates.

NRCC: Help Kats, Gilhooley, Livingston

On my national blog(s) today (http://stevemaloneygop.blogspot.com or http://camp2008victorya.blogspot.com), I write about the need for the national Republican Party to support "new" Republican candidates for Congress. The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) generally gives financial support to candidates who are high in the Party pecking order, or who have a lot of campaign cash, or who poll well (45% or more) against opponents.

That means the NRCC ends up not giving money to many good candidates who take on Democratic incumbents. The net result is to make an increasing number of Democrat seats "safe" from any opposition. Thus, we see the Republican Party in Congress becoming older and less able to develop new leaders with strong appeal.

In my piece on the national blogs, I basically plead with the NRCC to start looking beyond the next election and taking a bold move to revitalize the Party. Specifically, I ask for them to support three terrific candidates from Pennsylvania, including:

• Toni Gilhooley, a 25-year-state-police veteran running in the 17th congressional district (Harrisburg and surrounding communities) against incumbent Democrat Tim Holden;
• Marina Kats, an attorney specializing in criminal and immigration law running in the 13th congressional district (Montgomery County and Northeast Philly) against incumbent Democrat Allyson Schwartz; and,
• Michael Livingston, a Rutger (Camden) tax expert and law professor running in the 2d district (Philly, west of Broad St.) running against incumbent Democrat Chaka Fattah.

I've asked the NRCC to give relatively small amounts to three candidates -- specifically, $10,000 each to Kats and Gilhooley and $5,000 to Livingston -- mainly because the two women have an "easier" path to victory. I hope everyone who reads this will also contribute. You can do by visting Gilhooley's and Livingston's web site, as well as by sending a check directly to "Marina Kats for Congress" (her permanent web site will be up soon). Marina's address is:

Kats for Congress P.O. Box 91 Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006

As regular readers will know, I'm also strongly supporting Melissa Hart, who's trying to regain her seat in western Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district (where I live). Her site is at: http://peoplewithhart.com. Thanks for backing these fine individuals.

Livingston, Hart, Kats, Tom Hritz

The critical point: It is absolutely essential for the nation's future that John McCain win the election on November 4, 2008. However, if the U.S. House and Senate that await him are filled with liberal Democrats, there is no way McCain can be a successful President. It's essential that activists know who the outstanding Republican candidates are -- and support them. I very much want Republicans -- conservative or libertarian -- around the world to "adopt" exemplary congressional candidates, especially the ones I've been writing about.

Mike Livingston, Republican candidate for Congress in PA's 2d congressional district (Philadelphia). There's no truth to the rumor that Mike recently won the national "Brad-Pitt-Lookalike-Contest."

Mike Livingston, the law professor who's running for Congress from PA's 2d congressional district (against Dem. Chaka Fattah) and I have been corresponding regularly. I sent him the following today about his own race, Melissa Hart's race in the 4th district (against Dem. Jason Altmire), and Marina Kats's contest in the 13th (against Dem. Allyson Schwartz):

Dear Mike Livingston:

I think I can bring attention to candidates I support. My "bull-in-a-china shop" approach online works better than I could have imagined.

Melissa Hart, who is running in the 4th District in western PA is a good friend of mine, and I keep trying to get people nationally to "adopt" her -- with some success. One of Melissa's big advantages this time (as compared to the mid-term election of 2006) is that John McCain should win the 4th by a large margin, particularly if Rev. Wright keeps spreading his cheerful message of ignorance and animosity. Altmire has yet to denounce Obama's "bitter" comments -- presumably because he agrees with them.

Mike, when your own campaign is done, maybe you can write a book about it. Running against Chaka Fattah may be in some ways a thankless task. However, there are tens of thousands of people in the 2d CD who will vote for Mike Livingston if you can get your message out.

At the very least, your presence in the race is going to force Fattah to reconsider some of his militantly leftist positions. He's also going to have to explain why his seven terms in Congress have left at least 150,000 people in the district mired in poverty. If Fattah has a clue about economic development, he has fooled me -- and the people he supposedly represents.

If you haven't heard yet from Eric Dondero of BlogTalkRadio/Libertarian, you will soon. When libertarian Republicans learn who you are and what you believe in, many of them will support you -- by "support" I mean send money! I truly believe what I said earlier about how to get voters' support: to ask for it. The process is just that simple.

Many of the Republican candidates for Congress have a lot in common -- although you're not as good looking as Marina Kats (nobody is)! Marina has a great chance to make Allyson Schwartz, a terrible legislator, sweat. Allyson claims she's a powerful defender of the "middle-class." Somehow she thinks raising their taxes, discouraging energy development, and basically rooting for al Qaeda in Iraq constitute defending the country.

On libertarian (freedom loving) Republicans. One notable member of that group was a popular columnist for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Tom Hritz. He liked to smoke and one day a busybody at the P-G asked him if he was going to participate in "The Great American Smokeout." Irritated, Hritz said he was going to promote a new holiday called "National Mind-Your-Own-Business-Day."

Another Hritz-ism: Somebody asked him what he thought about the performance of Robt. Casey, Sr., father of Senator Bob. Hritz said, "Listen, after two terms of Bob Casey as Governor, Pennsylvania is lucky it's still a state."

Tom and his wife (also very funny) have passed away, but they're obviously still here in spirit. They'd have loved the chance to vote for people like Mike Livingston, Melissa Hart, and Marina Kats.

America's Future: Pennsylvania Congressional Races

My hope on this site is eventually to get 500-1000 visitors per day. I hope many of the visitors will get involved in the congressional campaigns I'm covering -- and perhaps even consider running for Congress themselves. There are some remarkable Republicans running for Congress in 2008, and they need -- and deserve -- your support. I'll try to provide some good free advice -- and hope you do the same in comments -- that will help the candidates raise money and generate grassroots activity. You can leave your comments on this site or e-mail me at: TalkTop65@aol.com. Please visit the candidates' web sites! Thanks for honoring me with your visits.


Today, I'm posting about several Republican congressional candidates in the critical state of Pennsylvania. My emphasis will be on Melissa Hart in the 4th district (western PA), who's running to regain her congressional seat, and on "new" candidates. They will include Marina Kats (see column and photo below) in the 13th district (northeast Philly and Montgomery County), Mike Livingston in the 2d district (Philadelphia), Tom Manion in the 8th district (Bucks County) and Toni Gilhooley in the 17th district (Harrisburg area). The focus will be on how these candidates "link up" with John McCain's efforts in the Keystone State. What happens in Pennsylvania in the 2008 election (and, frankly, in the 2010 mid-term election) will help determine the success of the McCain presidency. Yes, it's important that John McCain prevails in November, but it's vital that Republicans regain some of the House (and Senate) seats lost in 2006. No Republican or conservative wants to send John McCain to the White House and have him face a Congress opposed to all his key initiatives. The point is this: If you want to support McCain, please take the additional step of voting to send Republicans to Congress. There are 21 congressional seats in Pennsylvania, and it should be possible for Republicans -- over time -- to win at least 15 of them. When that occurs, Republicans nationally should be able to regain control of the House of Representatives.

Note: This column will differ somewhat from the one on my national blogs: http://stevemaloneygop.blogspot.com/ & http://camp2008victorya.blogspot.com/. As we get into May, this column will deal with subjects related to -- but different from -- the ones on my national sites.

Mike Livingston: Republican in PA's 2d District

Pennsylvania 2d (from The Almanac of American Politics): "[It] takes in much of the city of Philadelphia west of Broad Street, plus Cheltenham Township in suburban Montgomery County. It . . . includes most of the skyscrapers of Center City and well-heeled Rittenhouse Square, the Philadelphia Zoo . . . , the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University, and lush Fairmount Park . . . [and] climaxes at the grand Philadelphia Museum of Art [where Rocky ran up the steps]."

In Pennsylvania's 2d district, law professor Mike Livingston is running against seven-term congressman Chaka Fattah, ranked by National Journal as one of the most liberal members of the House. Currently (and it kills me to admit this), Fattah is probably unbeatable. However, there are ways Mike can make some serious inroads into Fattah's vote totals.

How? One way is to ask "What has Chaka Fattah done for you lately?" In fact, according to government statistics, one-in-four-reisidents of the 2d is living in poverty. The median income in the district is an anemic $30,600 -- more than $10,000 below the national average.

Of course, it's right of the people in the 2nd to keep sending Chakah Fattah to Congress (and by huge margins). But do they gain any benefit from doing so? It's a political version of the definitin of insanity: "doing the same thing over and over again -- while hoping for different results."

In Fattah's past elections, the vote totals have been well below the Pennsylvania average. That means many people in the 2d have given up on the political process.

Obviously, there are opportunities for Mike Livingston to leverage in his district. If he run a strong, low-cost campaign, he has the opportunity to add tens of thousands of votes to past Republican totals.

One key for Mike is to ask every individual and group he meets to donate to his campaign. That's not something any candidate enjoys doing, but it's essential that he raise enough money to lead Fattah know he's in a fight. At a pizza party like the Manion gathering (below), the candidate should have a "bucket" for donations and give every attendee an envelope to use for contributions. Please go to Mike's site now (http://livingstonforcongress.com/) and give him a small donation.

Tom Manion: Republican in the 8th District -- Pizza Party

Hello All,

Thank you all for signing up on the website’s mailing list. We would like to extend an invitation to a pizza party and a meet and greet with Tom. It will be held at the Bucks County GOP Headquarters 115 N Broad Street Doylestown PA, 18901 on Thursday May 1st from 6:30 to 8:00 pm. This is a chance to bring everyone together to discuss the state of our campaign, our future, and where everyone fits into our plan. Please RSVP to Krista.foy@manionforcongress.com. We look forward to working with you as we make Tom Manion our next Congressman in Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional District. Thank you and we appreciate your support.

Steve Adds: This kind of get-together is one every Republican congressional candidate should use. In drawing crowds, a Mike Livingston is never going to match a Barack Obama, but small gatherings can be extremely helpful in building electoral coalitions. Good luck, Mike.