It will, in fact, make you tremble for the Republic.

#PAAG D ballot: Kane 31%, Zappala 18%, Shapiro 13%, Morganelli 9%. Yep, you read that right. https://t.co/kPEK2KwwIM

— Harper Polling (@HarperPolling) January 27, 2016

‘Kane’ is current PA Attorney General Kathleen Kane, who is under indictment and who has been stripped of her license to practice law – and yes, there have been many people telling AG Kane that these two particular handicaps should act as an encouragement for her to resign. In terms of favorability the woman is underwater at 43/49.  And yet she’s ahead of the Democratic pack at 31%. Somehow*.

There is, however, good news: Harper still has Joe Sestak ahead of the pack for the Senate nomination. Which means a bloody primary and a likely weak challenger for Pat Toomey. Keeping control of the Senate is going to be a touch tight**; I’ll take all the help I can get.

(H/t: @EsotericCD)

Moe Lane

*Democrats appalled by this – even this poll admits that some might actually exist – will no doubt seize on the fact that Harper is a Republican polling firm, and thus inclined to be willing to ‘help’ in Democratic primary races.  This is a fair observation to make, actually. But I’d also note that if the Democratic party base of Pennsylvania was interested in showing Kathleen Kane the door then they’re taking their own sweet time with having the mass demonstrations and drum circles and Black Bloc anarchists and whatnot.

**I would politely suggest that anybody who is grinding their teeth at the thought of Pat Toomey getting re-elected this year would be well-advised to direct their energies into supporting whatever suitable Republican challenges Toomey in the primary.  I know that that’s more work than griping about it, not that any of my readers are adverse to doing work, of course.  Still, credible primary challenges are useful even when they don’t succeed; and every so often you topple someone…