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Reader Poll: Kane Would be Sestak’s Toughest 2016 Opponent

Kathleen Kane portrait
Kathleen Kane

Pa. Attorney General Kathleen Kane would be former Congressman Joe Sestak’s most formidable opponent in a potential 2016 U.S. Senate primary, according to PoliticsPA readers.

Kane garnered 195 votes (39%) to top the poll out of a total 500 cast, followed by Montco Commissioner Josh Shapiro with 74 (15%). Rob McCord rounded out the top three with 53 votes (11%).

Allyson Schwartz, frontrunner for the 2014 Democratic gubernatorial nomination to challenge Tom Corbett, came in fourth with 46 votes.

The poll posited the hypothetical assumption that Democrats would lose to Gov. Corbett in 2014, meaning those presently running against him would be available for 2016.

Kane has been a rising star in the party, and there’s even been buzz that she could challenge Corbett.

Sestak announced back in May that he was exploring a potential rematch against Sen. Pat Toomey, who defeated him in the 2010 election. The matchup would be the first major party U.S. Senate rematch in Pa. history.

Sestak has yet to officially announce his candidacy, but the FEC has asked him to either declare his intentions or decline to run, having passed the financial threshold requiring a declaration of candidacy.

Here are the full results:

Who would be Joe Sestak’s most formidable opponent in the 2016 Democratic Senate primary?


  • Kathleen Kane, PA Attorney General (39%)
  • Josh Shapiro, Montgomery Co. Commissioner (15%)
  • Rob McCord, PA Treasurer (11%)
  • Allyson Schwartz, Congresswoman (9%)
  • Michael Nutter, Philadelphia Mayor (6%)
  • Katie McGinty, former PA DEP Sec. (5%)
  • Matt Cartwright, Congressman (4%)
  • Eugene DePasquale, PA Auditor General (3%)
  • Rich Fitzgerald, Allegheny County Exec (3%)
  • Ed Pawlowski, Allentown Mayor (2%)
  • Tom Wolf, former PA Revenue Sec. (2%)
  • John Callahan, Bethlehem Mayor (2%)

Total Voters: 500

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2 Responses

  1. Kane absolutely drips of ambition… makes me wonder what kind of “favors” she had to for Bill Clinton to get his endorsement.

  2. I don’t see Kane getting into Gov’s race against Corbett. She made a point about chastising Murphy for planning to use the AG position to run against Corbett, and not complete the full term.

    Besides, she’s investigating Corbett’s mishandling of Sandusky. It wouldn’t look good if she turned around and then tried running for Gov.

    Josh is an up-and-comer and FAR more well liked than Sestak and more representative of the Democratic party. Josh also has an excellent track record of accomplishment as well as demonstrated bipartisanship.

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    Total Voters: 30

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