Phil English

Democratic congressional candidate Kathy Dahlkemper will campaign with former President Bill Clinton tomorrow in Erie, her campaign told PolitickerPA.com.

The 4:15 rally, ostensibly for Barack Obama, could end up benefiting Dahlkemper more. She is engaged in a tight race against U.S. Rep. Phil English (R-Erie) in the 3rd Congressional District, and the visibility granted by appearing with Clinton could give her a final push a day before Nov. 4..

An internal poll released by the English campaign shows the 14-year incumbent up 2 points, although two independent polls taken earlier this month show Dahlkemper with a lead.

The former president has a busy day in Pennsylvania Monday. He will attend a mid-day rally for U.S. Rep. John Murtha (D-Johnstown) before campaigning in the evening with U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D-Nanticoke).

U.S. Rep. Phil English's (R-Erie) once prodigious cash advantage over Democratic opponent Kathy Dahlkemper has nearly been erased, according to 3rd quarter fundraising reports filed with the Federal Election Commission. The 14-year incumbent has $394,011 on hand, compared to $274,850 for Dahlkemper. English has still raised nearly $1.5 million more than Dahlkemper after raising $488,164 from July 1 through Sept. 30. His total fundraising now stands at $2,067,477.

A new poll released the night of the candidates' second debate shows Democratic challenger Kathy Dahlkemper up 8 percentage points over U.S. Rep. Phil English (R-Erie).

It's the second poll in two weeks that shows Dahlkemper ahead of the 14-year incumbent, recasting a race once thought to be in English's favor as a toss-up, if not a favorite for Democratic takeover.

The poll, conducted by Research 2000, reports Dahlkemper has a 49 percent to 41 percent advantage among 400 likely voters asked between Oc.t 6 and Oct. 8. It has a margin of error of 5 percentage points.

A SurveyUSA poll released in early October reported Dahlkemper had a 4-point lead.

A Reasearch 2000-Daily Kos poll shows Kathy Kahlkemper leading Congressman Phil English by a 48 to 41 margin with a 5% margin of error. The poll showed Dalhkemper outpolling Barack Obama in the district as Obama leads John McCain 46 to 44 percent. The poll was conducted among 400 likely voters between October 6th and 8th.

The Cook Political Report has moved the 3rd Congressional District race between Democrat Kathy Dahlkemper and U.S. Rep. Phil English (R-Erie) from "leans Republican" to "toss up."

The announcement comes after a SurveyUSA poll released Tuesday showed Dahlkemper leading the 14-year incumbent by 4 percentage points, 49 percent to 45 percent.

English's campaign has disputed the poll's validity because it was automated and taken over the weekend, but apparently it was enough to catch the report's attention.

"This is obviously good news and shows we have momentum on our side," Dahlkemper said in a statement. "Voters in this district are hungry for a leader who can bring about positive change."

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Republican U.S. Rep. Phil English's re-election campaign is questioning the merits of a poll showing the incumbent down 4 percentage points to Democratic opponent Kathy Dahlkemper. The results of an automated poll conducted over the weekend, as was done in this case by SurveyUSA, shouldn't be trusted, said Adam Beebe, English's campaign manager. "More importantly, this was a very unstable weekend to do any kind of polling," he said, citing the country's financial crisis. "I would question the accuracy of the polling."

Democratic challenger Kathy Dahlkemper leads U.S. Rep. Phil English (R-Erie) by 4 percentage points in the 3rd Congressional District, according to a new poll conducted for Roll Call by SurveyUSA.

The race between English and Dahlkemper is considered one of the state's most competitive, although most considered English the favorite because of his significant financial advantage. 

The poll, however, indicates Dahlkemper has a significant advantage among moderate voters. She leads in that group 63 percent to 32 percent, it reports.

The poll surveyed 618 likely voters from Sept. 26 to Sept. 28. It has a margin of error of 4 points.

The congressional campaign committees of both parties have poured resources into the races. That's been particularly important to Dahlkemper, whose own lack of fundraising prevents an aggressive TV ad campaign.

WASHINGTON – After weeks of watching its candidates barraged by its Democratic counterpart, the National Republican Congressional Committee has started up its independent expenditure advertising campaign. The committee is airing an ad beginning today in Pennsylvania’s 3rd Congressional District, where U.S. Rep. Phil English (R-Erie) is battling to defend his seat from a challenge by Democrat Kathy Dahlkemper.

The committee did not immediately release details on the size of buy for the 30-second ad, which takes Dahlkemper to task on energy and gas prices.

“Kathy Dahlkemper has some wacky ideas,” an announcer says. “Take energy. Kathy Dahlkemper opposes suspending the federal gas tax, which would help consumers right now. And that would help lower your cost at the pump. Dahlkemper’s wacky solution: she said we should make personal sacrifices, such as walking places or riding a bike. Hmmm, why don’t we try using dog sleds, too?”

Two Democratic Pennsylvania congressmen involved in tight re-election campaigns bucked their party and voted against a $700 billion Wall St. bailout proposal in a vote that evenly split the rest of the state's delegation.

U.S. Reps. Jason Altmire (D-McCandless) and Chris Carney (D-Dimok), along with U.S. Rep. Tim Holden (D-St. Clair), opposed the bailout plan, which was defeated on the House floor 228 to 205. Altmire and Carney each face difficult re-election tests this fall against opponents bent on portraying them as "Nancy Pelosi" liberals. 

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was a strong proponent of the bill. 

Altmire faces former congresswoman Melissa Hart in the 4th Congressional District -- Carney faces Republican challenger Chris Hackett in the 10th Congressional District.

WASHINGTON -- The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is out with its first television advertisement of the cycle targeting Republican U.S. Rep. Phil English in Pennsylvania's 3rd Congressional District. The 30-second spot, which began airing Friday, accuses English of accepting $180,000 from oil and gas interests, voting on four separate occasions with big oil, and supporting $2.6 billion in tax breaks for oil companies.