Jay Paterno, the younger son of the late Penn State football coach Joe Paterno, is considering a run for Congress next year as a Democrat in a race that would pit him against Republican incumbent Rep. Glenn Thompson.
According to The Patriot-News, Paterno, who was an assistant coach under his dad, has been in conversations with state and county Democratic officials about a possible campaign. The newspaper reported that Paterno plans to make a decision in a month.
Paterno also has the support of Pennsylvania state Treasurer Rob McCord, among other top party officials. Even though, he has yet to make a decision, his name has already been widely circulated as a possible candidate. For example, an automated phone survey conducted over the summer asked voters who they would support for Congress if they had to choose between Paterno and Thompson.
Politico noted that even though Paterno has instant name recognition among voters, it could still be a difficult race in the fifth district that 2012 GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney won with 56 percent of the vote.
Paterno broke politically with his father, a long-time Republican, in 2008, when he became a supporter of President Barack Obama. He supported his re-election last year.
Should he decide to run, it won't be the first time someone in the Paterno family has sought high political office. Jay Paterno's older brother, Scott, ran for Congress in 2004 as a Republican. He lost to Democrat Tim Holden.
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