Pennsylvania is a must-win for Barack Obama, and likely target for Mitt Romney. If he hopes to take the Keystone State for the first time of any Republican since George H.W. Bush in 1988, He’s going to need Chester County. So says Campaigns and Elections Magazine.
Chris Palko of Campaigns and Elections has the list. Chesco is number 7:
7. Chester County, Pa.
Population: 498,886
Largest city: West ChesterOf the four suburban Philadelphia counties, Chester was the only one that Bush won in 2004. The tail end of the prestigious Main Line is in the county, but so is the disadvantaged city of Coatesville. In between, there are plenty of middle-class suburbs, and even still some farmland. This is one of the few counties in Pennsylvania showing substantial population growth, so its importance is increasing.
Past results: Bush won here with 52 percent. Obama, in 2008, took it with 55 percent
To date, Romney has spent most his his time in SEPA in neighboring Delaware County and the city of Philadelphia.
Chester swung blue in 2008, but since Republicans have done well there.
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5 Responses
So this is a tid bit from a small irrelevant blog? Okay, so the campaign is apparently targeting other counties because the wide concensus is the most winnable is Bucks as Identified in Politico and with the 8th district being the best chance for a switch for dems, plenty of money will be spent there.
Chester County is really PA’s last hope in off setting Democrat votes in the SE. If they can steam roll Obama, PA still has chance to go red this year.
Tom Smith will hurt Chester’s main line vote if he doesn’t moderate. Chair Val DIGiorgio has a huge job to do in unifying his Tea Parties moderates and committee membership. Wokring together along with the best county committee staff in the state may make the difference.
Good thing Romney will have a strong running mate in Tom Smith. Smith will keep Casey busy
Could you imagine Obama Welch as Romney’s running mate?
Joe — everyone knows that Chesco isn’t as influential in Primary elections because there is such a split between the more conservative elements in the south and west of the county and the more moderate areas in the north and east. They cancel each other out.
In the general, Chesco is a powerhouse, and Romney will need to run up the score with a great margin here to counter the increasingly-Dem leaning Montco. The strength of Delco’s GOP organization may help him win there, or at least keep it close — that’s why he’s spending time there — but he needs Chesco to counter Montco.
Little good Chester County did for Welsh. I don’t know if I would hedge my bets there.