Setting out to “demonstrate that it is in fact possible to balance the budget within 10 years without raising taxes,” United States Senator Pat Toomey on Tuesday unveiled a proposal he vowed would balance the federal budget by 2020 and produce a surplus a year later.

Former Minnesota governor and 2012 presidential hopeful Tim Pawlenty is heading to Pittsburgh tonight to deliver the keynote address at the Allegheny County Republican Committee’s annual Spirit of Lincoln Dinner.

A survey conducted earlier this month by Public Policy Polling found that Pennsylvania voters would today cast their ballots for a generic Democrat (42 percent) over a generic Republican (36 percent), though a majority (52 percent) also currently holds an unfavorable view of President Obama.

Salon’s Steve Kornacki notes that Donald Trump donated $32,000 to Pennsylvania’s own Ed Rendell during his 2002 campaign for Governor, yet one more Democrat on Trump’s long list.

Christian Home Educators Association of California and the Home School Legal Defense Association hosted the first annual Pacific Home School Super Conference last week. The conference brought over 1,200 home schoolers to participate in activities that included the Presidential Forum and the straw poll. Rick Santorum swept the poll receiving a total of 28% of the vote.

Former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum took another step toward the 2012 presidential election Wednesday night, announcing the creation of a “testing the waters” campaign fundraising account. It will allow him to solicit contributions, but it is not as formal as an exploratory committee.

PA’s reputation as a swing state could potentially spell out trouble for President Obama come re-election time. That is, if the GOP offers up an acceptable nominee. According to Public Policy Polling, Obama’s ‘likeability’ isn’t as strong in PA as it once was.

Former Sen. Rick Santorum won the straw poll at the Greenville County Republican Convention. He received 31 percent of the vote. Former Sen. Santorum has been to South Carolina more than any other early primary state.