Joe Sestak is relying on strong turnout from Democrats in Pennsylvania’s urban areas — particularly in Philadelphia — in order to seize an Election Day victory that, if the polls are any indication, seems to be heading in Toomey’s direction.
One Battle ‘10 reader wrote in today to speculate on the potential of faux “Democrat” voters in the Delaware Valley to frustrate the best laid plans of the Sestak campaign:
I live in Montgomery County, at the corner of Chester and Delaware counties, and am one of the 225,000 Republicans who switched their party affiliation to Democrat in 2008. This was entirely to vote for Clinton in the Democratic primary. I neglected to switch my affiliation back to Republican, mostly as I wanted to vote for Sestak in the primary to make sure he wouldn’t remain my representative in the House nor Specter my representative in the Senate.
Are there any estimates as to how many of the 225,000 have a similar history? I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the Sestak campaign is depending on basically Republican votes in the west and northern suburbs. For the last three days I have received nightly calls from the Sestak campaign asking for support. It’s a pleasant 10 minutes listening to a campaign worker try to ascertain if I’m supporting the congressman and if I need help to vote.
Update: Another reader from outside Pennsylvania writes:
I had a guy come to my door last week to ask if I were going to vote early. He asked, ‘You’re a Democrat?’ to which I gasped No! He said I’m registered as a Democrat, and I remember that, yes, I switched parties to vote Obama vs Hillary in the primary (McCain had it wrapped up by then) and totally forgot about it. How many people are registered Democratic who really aren’t?