The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette takes a look at the recent fundraising activity of Rep. Jason Altmire (D-PA), who defeated incumbent Melissa Hart in 2006. Many of the same special interests who gave big to Hart are now cutting checks to Altmire. And, as Public Campaign's President and CEO Nick Nyhart tells the Gazette, so goes the game of buying influence with Congress. Since he defeated Hart, he's been picking up her big donors donors, like Nortfolk Southern and the American Bankers Association, who don't want to see their power on the Hill eroded for anything so trivial as a change in the makeup of Congress. It's the same story all around town as a new class of incumbents seek out the money they need to keep their seats. Nick speaks to the shift in donors to the new incumbent: "They sort of hedge their bets. It's the norm. The rule of thumb is to give to the incumbent, not the challenger."  Altmire, a signer of the Voters First Pledge sponsored by our sister organization Public Campaign Action Fund along with Common Cause and Public Citisen to improve lobbying regulations and provide full public financing for congressional races, would like to put an end to this kind of fundraising game, but if he wants to win re-election he and his fellow congressman must continue to play it until we win Clean Elections for Congress.