Feuding Hurts G.O.P.’s Hopes to Win Senate

By JENNIFER STEINHAUER
NYT

WASHINGTON — In a chamber of ample egos and matching oratory, Senator Bob Casey, the Pennsylvania Democrat, is understatement defined, his excitement most often registered by some extra eyebrow activity.

His low-radar personality, combined with exceedingly high unemployment and a dim view of President Obama back in his home state, make Mr. Casey — and many other Democrats in the Senate up for re-election next year — a perfect target for Republicans.

But like a number of his fellow Democrats whose fates could determine whether they lose control of the Senate, Mr. Casey’s best asset may be his competition — in his case, a field of nearly a dozen Republicans, many of them unknown or divisive within their own party.

Among his most prominent potential Republican challengers is Steve Welch, a deep-pocketed entrepreneur from Chester County who in 2008 switched his registration to Democratic in protest against his own party and voted for Mr. Obama in the primary that year.

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