Dems land candidate for top House target

Democrats think they’ve found their man for a top Pennsylvania House race: state Rep. Steve Santarsiero (D).

{mosads}The Democrat announced his bid Thursday, giving the party a viable candidate for a suburban swing district that Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) has said he’s retiring from.

Local and national Democrats are already rallying around Santarsiero.

“It’s time we make Washington accountable to our citizens. I will make it a priority to focus on keeping the middle class families of the 8th District secure while helping to grow our economy, create jobs and bring real reform to Washington,” Santarsiero said in a statement.

The release included endorsements from some influential local Democrats — former Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-Pa.), who represented an adjacent district, and Bucks County Democratic Committee Chairman John Cordisco (D).

Fitzpatrick has said he would retire after this term, and while local Republicans are trying to convince him to run again, according to National Journal, he hasn’t shown any signs of changing his mind and breaking his term-limits pledge.