Campaigning continues until the last minute, and that includes in Erie County.

Republican Tom Smith, who’s running against U.S. Sen. Bob Casey in Tuesday’s election, is scheduled to be at Erie County Republican Party headquarters, 2206 W. 15th St., at 5:30 p.m. today.

Tom Smith, file photo/GREG WOHLFORD

And he’ll have some company.

Also scheduled to appear are David Freed, the GOP nominee for state attorney general; U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly of Butler, R-3rd Dist.; U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson of Centre County, R-5th Dist.; and U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey.

Bob Casey/File photo

Only Toomey isn’t on Tuesday’s ballot.

– John Guerriero

For weeks now, your mailbox has been full of more than just the usual bills and advertisements.

We’re at the height of the campaign season, so campaign brochures and fliers are crammed in your mailbox, too.

Bob Casey/File photo

But FreedomWorks for America, a super PAC, is sending out more than just a brochure to some households. The PAC is sending out a 42-page magazine urging voters to retire Sen. Bob Casey, who’s running against Tom Smith.

The PAC is a project of FreedomWorks, Inc., a conservative advocacy group that helped foster the tea party movement, according to FactCheck.org.

Tom Smith, file photo/GREG WOHLFORD

– John Guerriero

Tom Smith, the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, today completed a statewide tour that touted what he called a record of job creation and a plan to “restore the American dream.”

Tom Smith/File photo

Smith’s tour included six stops throughout the state: Philadelphia, Mountain Top, Pittsburgh, Meadville, Harrisburg, and ending this afternoon in Tyrone. Erie wasn’t on the schedule.

Smith said his policy initiatives are aimed at cutting wasteful spending, repealing and replacing ObamaCare, and simplifying the U.S. tax code.

Learn more about the plan here.

Partisan gridlock has crippled the federal government, he said, but added, “I believe working together, we can and will meet the challenges our country faces.”

The Republican from Armstrong County is running against U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Scranton.

– John Guerriero

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey and his Republican challenger, Tom Smith, offered different perspectives on today’s disappointing national jobs report.

Bob Casey/File photo

The Bureau of Labor Statistics report for June showed that just 80,000 jobs were added, keeping the unemployment rate unchanged at 8.2 percent.

Casey, chairman of the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee, said in a statement, “Today’s report shows that the private sector continues to add jobs, though not as quickly as we need. The economy has added private sector jobs for the last 28 months, but to lower the unemployment rate we need stronger growth.”

“We still have more work  to do to recover from our losses during the ‘Great Recession.’ Washington must continue to do everything possible to strengthen the economy and help unemployed Americans get back to work,” Casey said.

Tom Smith, file photo/GREG WOHLFORD

Smith, in a statement, said: “Today’s disappointing jobs report reinforces the growing frustration the hardworking American people have with career politicians in Washington.

“For more than 40 consecutive months, the Obama-Casey agenda has left the economy mired in unemployment higher than 8 percent. …  Their failed policies have only produced more spending, more debt and more taxes, but not more paychecks.”

– John Guerriero

The Franklin & Marshall College poll of Pennsylvania voters seems to support the theory that the state might not enjoy its typical battleground status this year in the presidential race.

The June poll shows President Barack Obama with a healthy lead over Mitt  Romney, 48 percent to 36 percent. The poll of 412 Pennsylvania voters also showed that Obama is viewed favorably by 46 percent of the voters to 27 percent for Romney.

President Barack Obama/AP file photo

The poll also shows that Obama is better able to handle foreign policy issues, 57 to 29 percent; understands the concerns of ordinary Americans, 57 to 31 percent; can handle the job as military chief, 51 to 33 percent; aligns closest to the respondents’ views on abortion and gay marriage, 47 to 37 percent; and is prepared to fix the nation’s economic problems, 44 to 38 percent.

Paradoxically, the poll says that six in 10 voters believe the state is moving in the wrong direction.

Mitt Romney/AP File Photo

The poll also shows U.S. Sen Bob Casey with a comfortable lead over  GOP challenger Tom Smith, 42 to 21 percent

There’s still a long way to go, however, before the Nov. 6 election.

– John Guerriero

The Tea Party Express today endorsed Republican Tom Smith for U.S. Senate.

Tom Smith, file photo. GREG WOHLFORD/

Fresh off Tuesday’s win for the GOP nomination in a five-man field, Smith will now try to unseat U.S. Bob Casey, D-Pa. Casey also won his party’s nomination Tuesday.

The Tea Party Express, billing itself as the nation’s largest Tea Party political action committee, endorsed Smith during a national bus tour kick-off rally outside of Pittsburgh.

Tea Party Express Chairwoman Amy Kremer, in a statement, criticized Casey for voting for the stimulus package and health-care reform.

“As someone who has lived the American dream, Tom has become a successful businessman that created thousands of jobs in the coal industry,” she said.

Smith is a former coal-company owner from Armstrong County. He also was the founder of a tea party group.

“We don’t need just another politician to go along to get along, but we need an innovative conservative willing to make the tough decisions. That’s Tom,” she said.

Casey, however, has been touting his independence from the White House.

– John Guerriero

Steve Welch, the U.S. Senate candidate backed by the Pennsylvania Republican State Committee, went on the attack today in Erie against rival Tom Smith.

They are among five Republicans seeking their party’s nomination in the April 24 primary. The winner will likely face U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, a Democrat, in the Nov. 6 election.

Welch accused Smith, who portrays himself as a conservative founder of a tea party group, of raising taxes nine times as a former Plumcreek Township supervisor in Armstrong County.

The online PoliticsPA has reported that Smith did raise taxes, but not by a large dollar amount.

Both candidates go before the voters as former Democrats, an issue that might not sit well with the conservative base.

Welch has said he was briefly disenchanted with the party for losing its way over higher spending, while Smith has said he’s always been conservative regardless of party.

Welch held a news conference today at General Exterminating, a business co-owned by Millcreek resident Donna Reese.

Welch is calling his rival “Taxin’ Tom Smith.”

It could be an interesting run-up to the primary.

– John Guerriero

Sam Rohrer, one of five GOP candidates for U.S. Senate, has received the endorsement from businessman and former presidential candidate Herman Cain.

Sam Rohrer, GOP candidate for U.S. Senate

Cain endorsed Rohrer at the Pennsylvania Leadership Conference in Harrisburg, an event at which Rohrer, a former state House member, won a straw poll among the Republican candidates.

Rohrer also has launched what he calls a “Red Truck Tour,” a month-long, 100-stop trip across Pennsylvania in a pickup.

Cain joined Rohrer at the first stop on the tour, at – where else? – a pizza shop in Harrisburg on Saturday. Cain is the former CEO of Godfather’s Pizza.

Former GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain. Carolyn Kaster/AP.

Rohrer will be in Erie on Wednesday morning along with GOP opponents Marc Scaringi, Tom Smith and Steve Welch at a forum sponsored by the Manufacturer & Business Association.

That event starts at 9 a.m. at the association’s conference center, 2171 W. 38th St.

The winner of the April 24 primary will face U.S. Sen. Bob Casey in the fall campaign.

– John Guerriero