By wplog

Published Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2007 | 2:14 p.m.

Updated Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008 | 2:14 p.m.

Deputy District Attorney Robert Daskas launches his campaign for Congress Thursday at 2:30 at Basic High School.

Daskas has prosecuted some of the biggest murder cases in the city the past eight years, and he's been a prosecutor for 12.

Although, as the Sun reported, he wasn't' the Democrats' first choice, he looks very good on paper: A law-and-order background, deep family roots here, not a carpetbagger, no bad votes he'll have to defend. Surely his courtroom experience means he can speak in public. But can he raise the money, take the inevitable pounding and hit back?

All questions that will be answered in short order.

Republican Incumbent Jon Porter, as the Sun's Lisa Mascaro in Washington has written, is appearing more independent lately, his voting record much more liberal than at any time in his career. He's raised nearly $1 million as of the the Sept. 30 reporting period, and had nearly $750,000 on hand. Porter beat Tessa Hafen in a tough race in 20006. The district has about

equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans.

The key will be nonpartisan voters. How they'll break may depend on the presidential race, the state of the war, and the state of the economy.