Just in time for the election, the newly renamed Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America have released a report card grading representatives and senators on their military-related voting records.

The results, in some cases, are surprising: Republicans who dress themselves as hawks come across as foes to the military in these rankings, while some Democrats, traditionally painted as weak on terror, got good grades. The bulk of the grades were in the middle, though: Cs and Bs.

The group is not-for-profit and says it is nonpartisan. However, executive director and U.S. Army Reservist Paul Rieckhoff, who served in Iraq, was tapped by the Democratic Party in 2004 to make a speech rebutting a White House radio address. In it, he criticized the government's war strategy.

The grading system tracks legislators' votes on more than 300 issues dating to 2001. Many are funding issues (whether they voted for or against the 2007 defense appropriations bill, for example) and others are simple resolutions (motion to "commend the United Kingdom for its efforts in the War on Terror, and for other purposes.")

The Pennsylvania delegation: Rep. Mike Doyle, B+, and Rep. John Murtha, B, the two Democrats; and Rep. Melissa Hart, C+; Rep. Tim Murphy, C; Rep. Bill Shuster, C; Sen. Rick Santorum, D-; Sen. Arlen Specter, C.

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, which calls itself a "support group" for America's newest class of war vets, was spawned from Mr. Rieckhoff's "Operation Truth," an informational campaign launched during the 2004 presidential election.

Gov. Ed Rendell is a world-class political fund-raiser. The Philadelphia Inquirer took a look at his rare talent, honed over decades, at wringing money out of supporters.

"Almost three decades into his political career -- and a week away from ending what he claims will be his last campaign -- he has mastered the game of getting people to write large, often eye-popping, checks.

"In his two campaigns for governor, he has raised more than $70 million -- $30 million of that for this year's governor's race, in which he faced no primary opponent and in which he is trouncing his opponent, Republican Lynn Swann, in the polls.

"He's showing no signs of slowing as the campaign winds down. In just two days last week, he raised $361,000 -- that's $180,500 a day, or about $7,500 an hour."

Former Georgia Sen. Zell Miller, whose fiery speech assailing Sen. John Kerry's Democratic presidential bid keynoted the 2004 Republican presidential convention, announced that he is forming Democrats for Santorum.

A statement issued by the Santorum campaign quoted a radio interview with Mr. Miller yesterday in Harrisburg in which he said "I am not involved in any other race in the country. I am only doing this for Rick Santorum. I believe in Rick Santorum's leadership that much.''

One Republican having a tough year is U.S. Rep. Curt Weldon, the Delaware County iconoclast facing the twin challenge of a vigorous election challenge and a federal influence-peddling investigation.

The New York Times took a look at some of the contracts that put him in the Justice Department's cross hairs:

"After several years of promoting Italian military contractors, the Italians had scored some big victories at the Pentagon. But Mr. Weldon's efforts were equally beneficial for his district, his family, his friends and his campaign coffers."

U.S. Rep. Don Sherwood, R-Luzerne, the Republican incumbent, who has admitted a five-year extramarital affair, remains in an uphill struggle against Democratic challenger Christopher Carney, according to a new poll from Lycoming College.

The school's latest survey shows Mr. Sherwood trailing Mr. Carney by 47 to 38 percent, a deficit statistically indistinguishable from the findings of the college's September poll. Fifteen percent of respondents remained undecided in the latest survey.