DREXEL HILL, PA – Pat Meehan, the former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and former District Attorney of Delaware County, has raised more than $200,000 in the 16 days since he announced his candidacy for Congress in Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District.  In addition to his fundraising strength, Meehan’s candidacy has grabbed the attention of many political analysts, who now rate the seat as a toss-up or one of the most likely seats in the country to switch to the Republican Party.

“I greatly appreciate the tremendous groundswell of support that I have received since announcing my candidacy,” said Meehan.  “Local residents are frustrated because they feel that their voices are not being heard.  They feel that Washington is serving special interests and pushing a partisan political agenda that does not reflect our values or priorities.  As a Member of Congress, I will serve as an independent voice of the people on issues such as taxes, job creation, health care, and the need to restore fiscal responsibility in government.”  

Since Meehan announced his candidacy on Monday, September 14 at events in Delaware, Montgomery, and Chester Counties, many political analysts have taken notice of his background, experience, and the strength of his campaign.  

Washington Post political reporter Chris Cillizza called Meehan an “A list candidate” and said his campaign “creates a great pickup opportunity for Republicans” in a seat that “has a solid Republican base within it.”  Based on the strength of Meehan’s candidacy, Cillizza ranked the 7th Congressional District as the 6th most likely seat in the nation to change from Democrat to Republican representation. (Source: Washington Post’s The Fix blog, 9/25/09).

Charles Cook of the Cook Political Report noted in early September that “Republicans have an even money shot of picking up the seat of Senate candidate Rep. Joe Sestak (PA-07) in the inner Philadelphia suburbs, thanks to the… candidacy of popular prosecutor Pat Meehan.” The Rothenberg Political Report, a prominent handicapper of campaigns, recently switched its rating for the 7th District from the relatively safe “Democrat Favored” to “Toss-up.” (Sources: Cook Political Report, 9/3/09 and Rothenberg Political Report, 9/23/009).

“Even with the early successes and the support I have received, I recognize that this is going to be a long and hard fought campaign,” said Meehan.  “I look forward to talking with voters over the course of this campaign about my commitment to help put a stop to the unchecked spending in Washington, restore integrity and accountability to Congress, and ensure that the voice of the average citizen is again heard by our elected officials in the nation’s capital.”