But then it happened again.
Earlier this month, Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach abandoned his gubernatorial bid and decided to run for re-election in the 6th District. Gerlach instantly became the odds-on favorite for the Republican nomination.
"It's kind of like we found Welch another date and now the girl from the cheerleading team is available," said a Delaware County GOP insider.
It's enough to make even a veteran politician want to throw in the towel. But Welch says that he's not backing down this time. He'll go to the dance stag if he has to.
"People are frustrated with the status quo in Washington," he said. "They're frustrated with both parties and looking for outsiders."
Welch, a wealthy businessman with an engineering degree, says that he won't step aside for Gerlach, even though the battle-tested incumbent appears to have the support of the Republican establishment as he seeks a fifth term in the district, which covers parts of Chester, Montgomery and Berks counties.
Republican strategists say that Welch is congressional-candidate material. He's smart, articulate and technologically savvy. And he already has what candidates are always trying to get their hands on - money.
Welch, who lives in Charlestown Township with his wife and two children, said that he contributed about $650,000 to his campaign through the end of last year, but declined to reveal how much more he's willing to spend. He said that the ability to self-fund a campaign is an advantage because he doesn't have to spend his days dialing for dollars.
"I see it as a positive," he said. "It gives me a lot of time to spend talking with voters and discussing the issues as opposed to fundraising."
