Election Day 2006

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As voters head to the polls in the midterm elections, some late surveys suggest momentum is swinging toward Republicans, while some GOP members privately say Democrats could win back the House.

On Monday President Bush declared, "We're closing strong," as the GOP made a final drive to preserve control of Congress.

Former President Clinton, saying, "They can't run anything right," taunted Republicans about the war in Iraq, the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and even the scandal involving the House page program.

In Pennsylvania...

KYW's David Madden reports on one of the key senate races in the country, where Republican incumbent Rick Santorum has been down in the polls for some time against Democrat Bob Casey.  If Santorum goes down to defeat, it’ll be on his terms.

Rick Santorum has been painted as someone who walks in lock step with the Bush administration’s agenda. Santorum has spent time the last couple weeks attempting to show he’s more bipartisan than people think (see related story).

But, in the end -- like him or not --you know where he stands:

“I am passionate. I do believe that I have a responsibility to be accountable, and when you go out and you talk about the big issues of the day, sometimes you’re going to make people mad.”

 His major message in the waning days of the campaign has centered on terrorism and homeland security, while driving home his record to anyone willing to listen.

KYW's Mike DeNardo reports Democrat Bob Casey, Jr. is hoping to unseat two-term incumbent Rick Santorum in Pennsylvania's US Senate race:

"No one has worked harder to be elected to the US Senate than I have."

Some might say State Treasurer Bob Casey Junior's biggest advantage in this race is that he's not Rick Santorum. 

Casey has tried to capitalize on voter dissatisfaction with the incumbent, and with the Iraq war:

“We've got to chart a brand new course.  Move this country in a new direction.  And it starts right here in this state, in this race.  And I need your help to do that."

A pro-life social conservative and the son of the late former governor, Bob Casey has consistently led in the polls, leading up to Election Day.

KYW's Brad Segall reports voters in the eighth congressional district head to the polls to decide whether to return incumbent Michael Fitzpatrick to Washington or elect political newcomer Patrick Murphy.

Recent polls show the freshman congressman holding a slim lead over his Democratic opponent. The dominant issue in the campaign has been the war in Iraq. Murphy is a veteran of the war who says the administration needs to set a deadline to begin bringing the troops home:

“That’s why it’s imperative now that we have the leadership here in America to provide the Iraqis a timeline and say we’re not going to be here forever and it’s time for you to stand up and fight for your democracy.”

Fitzpatrick says that would create chaos in the region:

“As much as I oppose his plan for immediate and precipitous withdrawal from Iraq because I think it’s dangerous, I also disagree with the administration’s position to stay the course.”

The two have also battled it out on embryonic stem cell research and the environment.

The district covers Bucks County and parts of Montgomery county and Philadelphia.

KYW’s Tony Romeo reports Pennsylvanians will be electing a new governor or giving the current one another four years in office.

On the February night before he was endorsed by Pennsylvania Republican party leaders, Pittsburgh Steelers Hall-of-Famer Lynn Swann -- who ended up running unopposed for the GOP nomination -- brushed off suggestions that he might’ve benefited from a contested primary:

“You’re going against an incumbent Governor who is not going to have a primary. It’s important for the party to be unified.”

But political analysts still question whether Swann -- a political newcomer -- might’ve gained from a primary tune-up.

By the time he hit his campaign stride; incumbent Democrat Ed Rendell had opened a wide lead in the polls.

Pennsylvania voters are also casting ballots for state lawmakers.  Most observers believe Democrats have a chance to win back control of the state house for the first time since 1994.

KYW’s Mike Dunn reports Philadelphia voters will fill three vacant seats on City Council and will decide on two proposed changes to the City Charter.  And City Council spent tax dollars promoting approval of those changes.

A radio ad featuring City Councilman Juan Ramos urges voters today to select YES on the two ballot questions. 

Council set aside up to $180,000 to promote approval of the changes. 

Zack Stalberg of the election watchdog group Committee of Seventy doesn’t like it:

“To spend tax money for the government to try to sell what it wants to sell to the voters seems a little bit wrong to me.”

The first ballot question would require a Mayor to report regularly on minority business participation.  The second would give civil service preferences to children of police or firefighters killed in the line of duty.  
 

KYW's Ed Kasuba reports topping the races in New Jersey is the US Senate Contest pitting an unelected incumbent, Democrat Bob Menendez against Republican challenger Tom Kean, Jr. 

Menendez was a member of the House from Hudson County when Governor Corzine appointed him to serve the remaining year of his term in the Senate.

Much of the campaign has focused on the War in Iraq. Menendez wants troops out in a year and Kean is critical of that approach:

“Bob Menendez is now one of 13 members of the senate who supports an immediate withdrawal, something even Bill Clinton thinks is the wrong approach.  An immediate withdrawal could lead to a humanitarian crisis and it could lead to Iraq becoming a terrorist haven and could lead to instability in the center of the Middle East.”

Indications are the race is extremely close and turnout will be the key to victory.

In addition to the Senate, Congressional, and local races in New Jersey, voters are also being asked to approve three constitutional amendments.

One constitutional amendment would dedicate half of the money raised from increasing the sales tax this year to property tax relief.

A second question is asking voters to dedicate an additional one and half cents from the state gasoline tax to pay for road and mass transit improvements.

The last question asks voters to dedicate money raised from corporate taxes to pay repairs to state parks.

None of the issues involves voters approving a tax increase.