Here's a suggestion for local Democrats.
Don't invite Joe Sestak and U.S. Rep. Bob Brady to the same picnic.
The congressman and powerful Philly Democratic leader makes no secret that he does not care for the former Delco congressman.
Part of this no doubt stems from Sestak's decision a few years back to spit in the face of party leaders who asked him to step aside when longtime Republican Sen. Arlen Specter switched parties and looked to tangle with Republican challenger Pat Toomey.
Sestak dug in his heels, rejecting pleas not only from Brady, but also President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and former mayor and Gov. Ed Rendell. Instead, Sestak bucked the system - and won.
He beat Specter in the primary, only to fall to Toomey in the general election.
Now he's looking for a rematch.
The only problem is, many Democratic leaders, including Brady, are looking for something else. You might call it, 'Anybody But Sestak.'
Party leaders have been desperately seeking someone to challenge Sestak in the primary. First they approached Montgomery County Commissioner Josh Shapiro. He opted not to get into the race.
Former Bucks County Congressman Patrick Murphy also demurred.
Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski jumped into the race, but did not have nearly enough statewide recognition. This Pawlowski pulled the plug on his campaign in the wake of an FBI investigation into contracts in Allentown city hall.
Now it appears the apple of Dems' eyes is Katie McGinty, the chief of staff for Gov. Tom Wolf. McGinty is playing this one pretty cool, saying only that she is "focusing on working to pass a balanced budget that full funds public education and provides property tax relief for Pennsylvanians," according to a former campaign manager. How's that going, by the way?
McGinty sought the Dem nomination that Wolf captured after a massive early TV blitz blew out the rest of the Democratic field.
She's got Brady in her corner. And that should not be underestimated.
Neither should Brady's disdain for Sestak. Some Dem leaders, including Rendell, seemed to be thawing in their regard for Sestak, probably in part because it is looking increasingly like he is going to be the Democrats' standard bearer in going after Toomey.
Not Brady. He's always seen Sestak as a maverick, someone who goes his own way, and not necessarily in the direction party leaders want.
One thing in particular that incensed Brady was Sestak's backing of several challengers to Democratic incumbent congressmen.
One other thing Democratic leaders are probably beginning to realize. A challenge to Sestak at this point would not be pretty - or cheap.
It's clear Sestak is not going away. And the person who emerges from a nasty Dem primary race would likely be vulnerable in then going up against Toomey, who has been increasing his presence in the last couple of weeks.
Right now, McGinty would seem to be the perfect candidate to tangle with Toomey. There's only one problem. Joe Sestak is standing in her way.
And he's not going anywhere. Bob Brady knows that all too well.
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