What's that? Tired of Pennsylvania. I know. I just wanted to share this with everyone so they can appreciate just what young voters did for Obama on Tuesday (actually, it started months before Tuesday). This was in an email I got from the Centre County Obama group. The sender said to share with any interested parties (that's you):
Centre County was Obama's 2nd best county in the state, trailing only Philadelphia County.
Obama's margin of victory in Centre County (4,766 votes) was big enough to prevent Clinton from getting a 3-1 delegate split from our congressional district. Instead, it will be a 2-2 split, representing a 2-delegate swing towards Obama.
The margin of victory in Centre County also appears to have prevented Clinton from obtaining a significant milestone: a double-digit victory in PA. Given the dire straights her campaign is in, they are grasping at any loose straw they can. A double-digit victory is not one of them, thanks to us.
More below
The email continues . .
Similarly, Obama won newly registered Democrats by a 62-38 margin. Without these these voters (13% of the electorate), Clinton's margin of victory would have been a whopping 15%. This is the type of victory she really needed to claim campaign viability. The gains we made on her in PA from when we were 20 points down were due in large part to the boots on the ground registering new voters and getting them to the polls.
How about a round of blog-applause for the hard-working PSU students and other Centre County residents for delivering a 60% win for Obama in Centre County?
While I have you here, I want to make a pitch for some netroots love coming to my own 5th congressional district. It is Pennsylvania's only open seat race, after Pennsylvania's only Oil Man, John Peterson, announced his retirement in January. What followed was a dirty, divisive, fortune-sqandering, scandal-plagued free-for-all primary of 9 second-rate candidates on the Republican side, where the eventual winner, Glenn Thompson, only got 19% of the vote. It really was an entertaining spectacle.
In contrast, the Democratic nominee, Mark McCracken, won with a decisive 41% after a positive, unifying contest where 3 well-qualified candidates competed (receiving more total votes than the 9-man Republican field combined).
Is the 5th district winnable for a Democrat? Normally, no. But look what Novakula says about it:
Thompson should win this race, but this year, it could get hairy.
Let's make it hairy, people. The aforementioned PSU students, plus Obama volunteers all across the 17-county district, have made long-term progress for Democrats in this district. From last November, the Republican registration advantage has been cut from about 45,000 to about 32,000 now. And there are 42,000 registered Independents.
McCracken, for one, believes he can win it:
Clearfield County Commissioner Mark McCracken, 44, if he can ride the tide of public sentiment that now seems to be washing toward Democrats, would become the first Democratic congressman from the district since another Clearfield County man, Joe Ammerman, was elected in 1976. Clearfield County is the district’s second-most populous.
Can McCracken overcome the 32,000-registration Republican advantage?
"I think I can," he said Wednesday. "With a lot of hard work and getting out and talking with the people and answering their questions, yes, I think I can."
The year 1976 also had a Democratic high tide. Former Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter was elected to a one-term presidency after the Watergate scandal brought down President Nixon, a Republican.
He's already making his tough sell to the Powers that Be. Good Man:
Indeed, at the forefront of McCracken’s thoughts after his victory Tuesday night was the hope that the Democratic decision-makers at the national and state level would support his general election campaign.
"I certainly think that this is going to be a winnable seat," McCracken said. "And the Democratic national and state party people — I’m sure they’re going to want to support us."
So what about the netroots? I don't want to repeat my poll from yesterday, so go take it. Thanks!
Oh yeah, Mark McCracken for Congress!
UPDATE: McCracken's campaign is active on DKos. Check out today's diary.