The PA Senate race has tightened in recent polls. While Santorum still struggles with his strong negatives, Casey’s favorables are not yet solidified in the public mind. Admitting that he will always suffer somewhat in the eyes of the liberal wing of the party for his stance on social issues, it still seems to me that Casey presents as being a more likeable figure than I have previously considered him to be. I hope that he’s hitting his stride. After years of a somewhat wooden public persona, he seems to have actually learned to smile and relax a little bit.

Of all the issues he’s going to have on Rick Santorum this year, I think the residency issue should be the one that is the killer for Santorum. Forget getting bogged down in pea-shooting over issues. Just make sure that there isn’t a single Pennslvanian who hasn’t heard that Rick’s in VA, not PA.

My unsolicited three part messaging strategy for Bob Casey this Fall:

Part 1: You thought you knew him, but have you met Bob Casey lately? Now with 75% more smiling!

Part 2: Had it with the Bush? Rick Santorum invented the rubber stamp, even pushing his dopey scheme for Social Security and the donut hole in Medicaire. [Pennsylvania is old. Seniors vote.]

Part 3: Ricky don’t live here no more. Can you believe that? How can he be the senator from Pennsylvania when he doesn’t even live in Pennsylvania?

It’s just one of those things. Unless you’re a 700 Club wingnut, how do you get yourself pumped to go vote for the guy who doesn’t even want to live with you anymore? It’s just bad politics. What’s he going to hit back with? “Yeah, well Bob came in late a few days at work. And he has a monobrow. Nya-nya-nya?”