Ed Rendell - Senate Run in 2010

Rendell - Senate Run in 2010

Reliable sources report that Pennsylvania’s Governor, Ed Rendell is seriously considering a run for the United States Senate in 2010.   Anyone who has followed Rendell’s career certainly is not surprised that he is already thinking about what comes next when his second term as Governor ends in 2010.  In Pennsylvania, the term limit for a Governor is set at 2 terms.   Therefore, it makes sense that someone like Rendell, whose love of publicity knows no end, would consider the high profile position of United States Senator.  However, they are some variables in play that make a Rendell run for Senate in 2010 very interesting.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of a Rendell Senate run in 2010 is that his opponent in all likelihood would his mentor,  Arlen Specter, the 5-term senior Senator.  Rendell’s first job of any significance was in the 1960’s when he worked for the Philadelphia District Attorneys office.  The DA at that time was none other than Arlen Specter.   While Rendell has worked with Specter over the years on various issues and claims to maintain a friendship with Specter, that would not stop him from running against Specter in 2010.   

Sources state that Rendell would prefer that Specter, 78 years old,  retire and not run against him.  If need be, Rendell will be more than happy to force Arlen Specter into retirement.   Anyone who knows Rendell understands that he would not allow a personal friendship to get in the way of ambition.   The current junior Senator from Pennsylvania, Robert Casey Jr. discovered that part of Rendell in their 2002 primary for Governor of PA.   Despite his hoagie eating, football loving, snowballing throwing, everyman persona, Ed Rendell can be downright ruthless when necessary.  

Also, I suspect the “friendship”‘ between Specter and Rendell may be somewhat exaggerated.  All accounts of Specter’s management style as DA of Philadelphia make  Atilla the Hun look like Mr. Rogers by comparison.   This may turn out to be Rendell’s final act of revenge against a “mentor” who made life very difficult for him at one time.   Should this happen, Rendell will say all the right things about Specter during his victory speech and even become a little choked up describing how Specter gave him his first break.  He will go on to state that we should all admire Specter for all of the great things he has done for the state of Pennsylvania.  This will be after his spends an entire campaign depicting Specter as a doddering old fool.  Come to think of it, that may be an accurate description of Specter. 

Rendell will win election to the Senate no matter who his opponent is in 2010.   He may be the most popular politician in the state of Pennsylvania since Benjamin Franklin.  Come to think of it, Franklin was very unpopular in the late 1760’s and early 1770’s when he was thought to be a loyalist to the Monarchy of Great Britian.   Rendell is absolutely worshipped in the city of Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs by Democrats, Republicans and Independents.   His margin of victory was so large in that region that he hardly needs to receive any votes from other part of the state although he is popular across the entire state.   As a matter of fact, if for some odd reason Rendell decided to skip the 2010 race, he would handily defeat Robert Casey in the 2012 Primary.   In their 2002 primary contest, Casey won 3 times as many counties as Rendell but Rendell won Philadelphia, Bucks, Delaware, Chester and Montgomery counties by a 85 to 15 margin leading to a 13 point victory over Casey.   One can picture Robert Casey having nightmares over the prospect of having to run against Rendell again.

Ed Rendell’s personality is not exactly suited for the Senate.  It is hard to picture Rendell sitting in the Senate chambers listening to his colleagues debate endlessly on procedural rules and regulations.   Rendell’s temperament does not lend itself to drafting legislation after a lengthy period of compromise.  Rendell sees himself as more of the benevolent dictator type.   I highly doubt that he will make his mark in the Senate through legislative accomplishments.   Instead,  Rendell will use his position to make regular appearances on all the cable TV news programs.   Unlike other Democrats, he will have no problem appearing on Fox News.  Rendell enjoys a good debate because he is an expert at the art of “mirrowing” a person’s emotions (very similar to Bill Clinton), and can oftentimes disarm an opponent through sheer charm.   Of course, he will also make appearances on MSNBC and CNN.   Rendell’s job will be to sell the brand of the Democratic party.  By 2010, in preparation for Barack Obama’s re-election campaign, the Democrats may need someone out front who can project a centrist image to the voters of the country.  There would be no better choice for this than Ed Rendell.  He has the unique ability of appealing to Democrats, both liberal and centrist, moderate Republicans and Independents.   The national GOP would do well to respect the skills of Ed Rendell.
In short, if Rendell wants the job of United States Senator in 2010, then it will be his.   If Specter does not retire, he will lose in a landslide.