All Politics Is Local...Except When It Isn’t

SOURCE: www.nationalatlas.gov

Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

All Politics Is Local...Except When It Isn’t

The 3rd District of Pennsylvania The Candidates The Campaign The Results

SOURCE: www.nationalatlas.gov

Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The 3rd District of Pennsylvania

Race/Ethnicity 93.8% White 3.6% Black 1.6% Hispanic 0.6% Asian

Occupation 52.3% White Collar

31.4% Blue Collar

Median Income $52.4k in district $47.9k in state

Partisanship 41.8% Republican

47.8% Democrats

‘04 Presidential Vote

Bush, +7%

SOURCE: www.nationalatlas.gov

Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The Candidates: Incumbent Phil English

SOURCE: english.house.gov

Occupation

Accountant

Political Experience

Controller, Erie City, 1985-89

Republican Nominee, State Treasurer, 1988

First Elected

1995

Committees

Ways and Means

Table 1. Congressional Vote Scores for Phil English, 1995-08

Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The Candidates: Challenger Kathy Dahlkemper

Occupation • Small Business Owner

Political Experience

•None

SOURCE: dahlkemper.house.gov

Table 2. Campaign Finance Data for Pennsylvania’s 3rd District, 2002-08

Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The Campaign: The Polls

Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The Campaign: “PMI”

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Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The Campaign: “Early Intervention”

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Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The Campaign: “Phil English Supports Seniors Healthcare”

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Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The Campaign: “What has Phil English done for Western PA?”

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Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The Campaign: “I-80”

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Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The Campaign: “Tax Return”

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Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The Campaign: “What is Kathy Dahlkemper hiding?”

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Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The Campaign: “Dahlkemper Energy Plan”

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Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The Campaign: “I Love Erie”

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Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The Campaign: “King of Perks”

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Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The Campaign: “Kathy Dahlkemper: The Change We Need”

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Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The Campaign: “The Latest Chapter in a Sad Washington Story”

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Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The Campaign: “Special Interests”

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Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The Campaign: “Our Problems Must Look Pretty Small”

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Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The Campaign: “Special Interest Trips”

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Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The Campaign: “Protecting Social Security”

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Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The Campaign: “Kathy Dahlkemper has Wacky Ideas”

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Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The Campaign: “Kathy Dahlkemper Wants to Raise Taxes on Pennsylvanians”

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Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The Campaign: “Kathy Dahlkemper Wants Job-Killing Tax Hikes”

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Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The Results

Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

Table 3. Spending by Parties, Interest Groups and Candidates in Pennsylvania’s 3rd District, 2008

Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

Table 4. Percentage of the Vote for the Democratic Presidential Nominee by County in Pennsylvania’s 3rd District, 2004 and

2008