Republican Janet Anderson, of Fairview, is making plans to join the race for state Senate in the 49th District, which takes in most of Erie County.

Anderson said that her effort to get more than 500 signatures on petitions begins today. She plans to get at least 750 signatures and as many as 1,000, to be on the safe side, in the event of challenges.

She is holding off on making an official announcement until she gets the signatures.

The race is wide open after state Sen. Jane Earll, of Fairview, R-49th Dist., announced she would not seek re-election to a fifth term.

“If I enter the race, I’m in it to win it,” said Anderson, who formerly worked in Earll’s office and just resigned as executive director of the Northwest Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission.

Another possible GOP candidate, lawyer Jason Owen, said he has not decided yet whether to enter the race.

Four Democrats have announced their plans to run, including former state Sen. Anthony “Buzz” Andrezeski, a lawyer. The others are: Terry Scutella, a Millcreek School Board member; Sean Wiley, director of foundation at Saint Vincent Health System; and Brian Pitzer, former director of public relations at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.

Wiley has the support of the Senate Democratic Campaign Committee.

– John Guerriero

While four Democrats have announced their plans to run for state Senate in the 49th District, which includes

U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-5th Dist., of Howard Township, Centre County, is reaching out to Harborcreek Township for tonight’s State of the Union address.

Thompson’s guest for the address is Harborcreek Supervisor Dean Pepicello.

If Thompson wins re-election this year, his new district would stretch into parts of Erie County and include Harborcreek.

The invitation is “an act of good will as far as the new district,” said Thompson’s spokesman, Parish Braden.

– John Guerriero

Pennsylvania Democratic Chairman Jim Burn was in town today, and he said Erie County Democrats will be “very critical” to the party in 2012.
“I just came to Erie today to congratulate (Erie County Democratic Party Chairman) Bill Cole and the Erie Democrats for all the good work that they have been doing,” said Burn, who was at the new Barack Obama/Democratic Party headquarters, 1305 State St.
Burn said he expects to return to Erie frequently through the presidential election. ”
All of Western Pennsylvania, and Pennsylvania in general, will be important,” Burn said.
–Kevin Flowers

Pennsylvania Democratic Chairman Jim Burn will speak to Erie County Democrats today and get them ready for the 2012 campaigns.

Before meeting with them, he will speak to the media about the upcoming elections and Democrats’ efforts in Erie.

Burn will be at the new Barack Obama/Democratic Party headquarters, 1305 State St., at 4 p.m.

– John Guerriero

With Rick Perry out of the race and Jon Huntsman getting out just before him, who will be left standing on the Republican side by the time of Pennsylvania’s April 24 primary?

A large Republican field has narrowed to four: Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich.

Some have argued in the past that Pennsylvania should move up its primary date, so that it becomes more meaningful. It’s too late this year; the date is set in stone.

But really, with the way candidates drop out early, Pennsylvania would have to move its primary to January or February.

What do you think about that? And who will still be in the running when Pennsylvanians vote April 24?

– John Guerriero

Democrat Missa Eaton who today announced her candidacy for Congress in the 3rd Congressional District, attended the opening of the Barack Obama/Erie County Democratic Party headquarters.

We caught up with her and asked why she is running for the seat now held by U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, of Butler, R-3rd Dist.

Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich angrily denied reports that he asked his second wife for an “open marriage,” the Associated Press reported.

But true or not, there’s an Erie connection to the claim.

The Washington Post reported that Gingrich asked his then-wife, Marianne, for an open marriage or divorce at the same time he was giving speeches on family and religious values.

The newspaper reported that Marianne Gingrich first learned from the former House speaker about the request on May 11, 1999.

The next day, the Post reported, Gingrich gave a speech called, “The Demise of American Culture.”

Guess where? That’s right. In Erie, to the Republican Women Leaders Forum.

– John Guerriero

The GOP field keeps getting thinner.
Politico is among the numerous outlets reporting this morning that Texas Gov. Rick Perry is ending his presidential campaign today and will endorse Newt Gingrich.
What are your thoughts on how this might impact the primary season and the race for the GOP nomination in general? Share them, as always.
–Kevin Flowers

Sens. Bob Casey, D-Pa., and Pat Toomey, R-Pa., might be on other sides of the political spectrum, but they will sit together for Tuesday night’s State of the Union address.

“Pennsylvanians want their lawmakers to work together to solve problems,” Casey said in a statement.

“Over the past year, Sen. Toomey and I have collaborated on a host of issues important to our constituents. I look forward to sitting next to Sen. Toomey at this year’s State of the Union address and to continuing our work on behalf of the Commonwealth in the spirit of bipartisanship throughout the year,”  Casey said.

Toomey added in a statement of his own: “I am pleased to sit with my colleague from Pennsylvania, Sen. Bob Casey. As the second session of the 112th Congress begins, sitting next to each other is a small but worthwhile step toward setting a civil and cooperative tone for the challenging work ahead of us.”

It would be interesting, however, to see how often the two applaud President Barack Obama‘s messages.

– John Guerriero

At least one Democrat is expected to run for the state Senate seat now held by Sen. Jane Earll, R-49th Dist., of Fairview, who will retire after serving out the last year of her fourth term.

But that candidate will not be Erie lawyer Ronald DiNicola.

And no Democrat or Republican has announced yet.

The Senate Democratic Campaign Committee mistakenly sent out an e-mail today saying that DiNicola was entering the race, then quickly said it was in error. DiNicola is not running.

Aren Platt, spokesman for the Senate Democratic Campaign Committee, blamed a “technical glitch” on the mistakenly sent e-mail.

The campaign committee had considered DiNicola as a potential recruit for the seat this year, as the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee did for Congress in the 3rd District, he said.

Platt said that with 30,000 more Democrats than Republicans in the district, the committee expects the seat to switch from Republican to Democrat in the Nov. 6 election.

– John Guerriero