Tom Smith and Steve Welch, two of the leading candidates seeking the Republican nomination to challenge incumbent Democratic Sen. Bob Casey Jr. are former Democrats.

Welch has admitted publicly that he voted for Barack Obama in 2008.

Another candidate, former Berks County state Rep. Sam Rohrer, has had to defend his voting record in the Legislature over 18 years, including a controversial vote in 2005 to raise the pay of state politicians.

Even though Casey is vulnerable for his support of the Obama agenda (98% support for Obama), he has plenty of money stockpiled and is favored to win re-election because of the GOP’s struggles to find an opponent who can unify the GOP base.

Pa. Republicans to pick challenger to Sen. Bob Casey Jr.