For the past few months, State Rep. and congressional candidate Steve Santarsiero has been winning the endorsements of the various local Democratic committee organizations.
Today, his campaign announced that ten such groups are now backing his candidacy, which are listed below:
Bensalem Democratic Organization
Bristol Township Democratic Committee
Concerned Democrats of Springfield Township
Doylestown Democratic Committee
Falls Township Democratic Party
Lower Makefield Township Democratic Committee
Middletown Democratic Party
Newtown Democrats
Pennridge Democrats
Warrington Democrats Organization
“I started my political involvement as a Democratic committeeperson here in Bucks County,” said Santarsiero, “So it means a lot to me to have the support of these organizations for our campaign. I know that they are the backbone of our party and I’m looking forward to working together to win in 2016.”
“Santarsiero has strong support in almost every township where Naughton beat Strouse in the 2014 primary, and he is on track to lock up the votes necessary to win the county endorsement months before the endorsement meeting takes place,” his campaign asserts.
We can actually test that claim.
The Santarsiero campaign actually released a map covering all the areas in the district where they’ve received endorsements (the 8th district consists of Bucks County and parts of upper Montco):
Here is a map we made of the Strouse-Naughton primary:
As you can see, there is some overlap between the two, especially in Lower Makefield (where Santarsiero’s legislative district is located) and Doylestown. Still, a lot of Naughton’s mid-county support remains.
Santarsiero’s map actually looks more favorable when you compare it to the 2012 presidential results:
Santarsiero has most of the support in heavily Democratic lower Bucks as well as Doylestown.
Of course, committee endorsements don’t guarantee success although they certainly don’t hurt.
Loading ...
10 Responses
Congresspeople often have not been legislators before running. For Santasiero to be a sitting State Rep and not be able to raise money is just bad.
I would agree with “PennDem” that this is probably an effort to appear credible before another lackluster fundraising quarter. We’ve seen this before: the local politician who thinks he can cut it in the big leagues but strikes out when it comes to raising money. Bucks County Committee People aren’t going to pay the bills…ask Steve Cickay if you need proof.
And “voiceofreason”: What has steve done for his district other than show up at some little league games? I’m not really sure where you can get off saying this guy is going to change the world in Congress when he hasn’t been able to accomplish anything substantive at the state level.
If he falls short this quarter, my bet is he drops before 2016.
This race has nothing to do with a war against women, gimme a break. It has everything to do with democrats nominating someone who can actually win the seat. Someone who has a proven record of legislative achievement, and came up locally through the ranks from committee person, to council, and on to state representative. Actually, I like Naughton but with absolutely zero experience in any legislative or political position she not who I want as my US Congressperson. We have already had enough years of a decidedly lackluster performance by Levittowns favorite son Fitzpatrick. Steve Santasiero brings a sharpe intellect, a proven record of accomplishment, and a passion to work for his constituents. Someone earlier commented and used the term progressive as if an epithet, haven’t you had enough of this completely inept,inane, and useless congress we have in the majority now? I’m supporting Steve Santasiero for congress, he will bring a sober, considered, and enlightened voice to represent our best interests.
@Bill
who rolls out these kind of endorsements right before a fundraising quarter is over? if i had to bet, i would say Stevers was again unable to inspire donor support. let’s take a look back to last quarter when he dumped a boatload of his own money into the race. or the murmurs that he’s having trouble raising money just to cover his overhead?
when you talk about ‘grassroots support,’ not really sure how you can deny shaughnessy is capable…her entire campaign last time was built on grassroots support because the party backed the wrong piece of stale white bread
yo Nick Field, how about your next reader poll is a ‘who raises more’ Steve-O vs. Lindi Li?
Bottom line: We are NOT going to elect another Progressive Liberal to the 8th Congressional District! We Had Enough When Pat Murphy had the seat!
The race for the Bucks County Democratic endorsement is over. Steve has already garnered enough votes to win. It is only likely to increase. The grassroots workers and leaders know him and support him. He has earned it by years of hard work here. As the map shows, during the last primary, those precincts where the committee person supported Kevin, he carried it. Those precincts that supported Shaughnessy resulted in her winning there. Now, with at least 240 committee person pledges for Steve, the endorsement looks very solid. This is a cynical attempt to go over the heads of the workers and leaders of the party, to use outside money in the vain hope of buying the election. Not one of the outside groups that is supporting Shaughnessy ever bothered to talk to a single living Democrat living here in Bucks.
The war on women continues…
Touting local party endorsements on the 2nd to last day of the quarter, he must be on track to get out-raised again.
Steve has tons of local support, and it is shown tangibly through these endorsements. Why would someone who has the establishment’s support drop out? He should stay in and he should win.
So Santasiero has support from the people who supported Stouse? Last time Naughton was massively outspent and barely fell short. People who voted for her in 2014 will likely do so in 2016, and now she has big money to throw around. Santasiero should drop out while he can still run for the State House.