'Unintended consequences'

Leave it to Lowman Henry to throw a dash of reality at Pennsylvania GOP leaders who think the upcoming Clinton/Obama slug fest in Pennsylvania might benefit the Republican Party.

Writing at his Lincoln Blog, Henry notes that thousands of Pennsylvania Republicans have already switched their party registration to Democrat so they can vote in the April 22 Pennsylvania primary. A similar event occurred in 2002 when Ed Rendell first ran for governor.

The problem, Henry notes, is getting the Republicans to switch their registration back and to vote for the GOP candidate in the fall. It didn't happen in the 2002 contest between Rendell and Mike Fisher. It may not happen in 2008, Henry says.

"Many GOP party leaders and legislators opposed Governor Ed Rendell's proposal to move the state's primary election to an earlier date," Henry writes. "As luck would have it, the votes of state Democrats might still be relevant. But file under 'unintended consequences' the developing fact that not only has the PA GOP been rendered irrelevant in the nomination process, but the late date of our primary could seriously adversely impact GOP chances of carrying Pennsylvania and its 21 electoral votes in the November election because too many of its members jumped ship to vote in the Democratic primary."