A.G. hopeful gets Brady's backing - but not his endorsement

Dan McCaffery, a candidate for district attorney in 2009, plans to run next year for state attorney general. And McCaffery has an important ally, U.S. Rep. Bob Brady, already pulling for him.

That came as news yesterday to former District Attorney Lynne Abraham, who is also considering a run for the post. Abraham is due to meet with Brady soon to talk about the race.

McCaffery last week sent a letter to Democratic Party chairmen in every Pennsylvania county, announcing his intentions.

His letter started with the explanation that he was "writing to you at the request and with the support of my county Chairman, Congressman Robert A. Brady."

The letter also touted the Pennsylvania political connections his brother, state Supreme Court Justice Seamus McCaffery, made in two statewide races.

Brady yesterday confirmed that he had given McCaffery the OK to send the letter. Brady said he hadn't formally endorsed McCaffery but was supporting him.

"The endorsement is done by the state party," Brady said.

This could be awkward.

Abraham publicly refused to back anyone in the 2009 five-way primary election to replace her as D.A.

But she certainly seemed to lean toward McCaffery, who bragged on Election Day that Abraham said she had voted for him and was urging others to do so as well.

McCaffery, a former prosecutor, finished second in the Democratic primary election with 30 percent of the vote, behind now-District Attorney Seth Williams.

"I know she's kind of dropping her name out there in bits and pieces," McCaffery said yesterday about Abraham's comments last week that she may run. "I'm not exactly sure if she's looking to put together a campaign and run around the state."

Abraham said she wants to meet with Brady before saying more.

"I'll just have to wait and see," she said. "It's a big state. It's a wide-open race. There are going to be a lot of people jockeying for position."

McCaffery said he was trying to lock in Democratic support as other potential candidates are making connections for the race.

Kathleen Granahan Kane, a former prosecutor from Clarks Summit, near Scranton, yesterday announced a bid for the Democratic nomination.

And former U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, who lost his bid for re-election last year, is also considered a possible contender.

Along with his brother's "deep ties" in Democratic politics, McCaffery said President Obama's run for re-election next year could be a boost in the race.

The state attorney general's post, which became an elected position in 1980, has never been held by a Democrat.