PA Dems Headed for Primary

Lehigh Valley Live reports:

Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski has officially announced he’s running for U.S. Senate.

The three-term mayor will run in the 2016 Democratic primary. Fellow Democrat Joe Sestak has also announced he’s running for the seat currently held by Lehigh County resident Pat Toomey, R-Pa.

**This is bad news for Sestak, who, until now, has been the sole Democratic candidate running for Senate in 2016.

However, Sestak’s competition won’t have an easy ride to the nomination. Ed Pawlowski may have some troubles of his own in the primary.**

The Morning Call reports:

The mayor’s anticipated Senate campaign will need to defy critics who believe that he will again have trouble raising money.

Sestak’s campaign staff did not return calls Wednesday or Thursday requesting information on his recent fundraising, and his latest filing was not yet available from the Federal Election Commission. He had $1.5 million in his campaign account as of Dec. 31.

In the gubernatorial campaign, Pawlowski raised only $346,000, well short of the $1 million that observers considered to be the price of entry.

A third of that sum came from his mayoral campaign fund, an option he won’t have in a federal race. Due to Pennsylvania’s lack of contribution limits, money raised for a gubernatorial race here can’t be transferred to a federal campaign, which has donor limits.

Both Pawlowski and Sestak may be facing even more competition as the weeks go on, as The Morning Call notes several other potential Democratic contenders weighing a bid:

Several other Democrats are said to be weighing bids, some encouraged by Sestak’s rocky relationship with some state and national party leaders. Montgomery County Commissioner Josh Shapiro has been approached by national Democrats, including New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, about entering the race, and former U.S. Rep. Chris Carney of Susquehanna County has said he’s considering a run.