Politicos Eye Broader Effect of Anti-Corbett Vote

A growing number of polls indicating that Gov. Tom Corbett is headed toward a significant election-day loss are shifting the political conversation in Pennsylvania.

Now, party officials and campaign professionals are increasingly analyzing the potential spillover from an anti-Corbett vote on races for Congress and the state Legislature.

In political parlance, it's the ``coattails'' theory _ the worse Corbett does, the worse every other Republican candidate does.

Generally, Republicans worry that party voters who are turned off by Corbett will simply stay home.

Republican Party officials maintain that polls and coattail effects are generally overrated, and that Corbett can still win on Nov. 4.

They also say they expect strong turnout from Republicans who oppose President Barack Obama and will support the rest of the Republican ticket, if not Corbett.