GOP U.S. Senate candidate Steve Welch's campaign announced this morning that the Chester County businessman has loaned himself $1 million in cash heading toward April's primary. Since mid-October the campaign has raised another $125,000. (Welch is one of nine candidates still in the race, and is expected to be among the best-funded, along with fellow businessmen Tom Smith and Tim Burns.)

"With his fundraising infrastructure now in place, including announced Western PA and Eastern PA Finance Chairmen, Steve Welch clearly will have the financial resources to win the GOP nomination and defeat Bob Casey in November 2012," a campaign statement says.

Full statement from the campaign after the jump:

Happy Caucus Day here in Iowa! With the main event not until 7 p.m. CST, there's still time for a few final events. 

I'm at Valley High School in West Des Moines, a large suburban school hosting a "Rock the Vote" rally this morning.

U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, Texas Congressman Ron Paul, former U.S. Rick Santorum and several of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's sons are expected to address the students.

10 a.m. - U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, with two of her daughters, welcomes the students back from Christmas break. She runs through her background, before asking for a show of hands of who is 18 years old. (17-year-olds also can vote if they'll be 18 by the November general election.)

"The United States is the most expensive place to do business if you're a job creator ... I want to abolish the tax code so that you can wildly succeed," she said. "I want a future for you, I want you to succeed."

10:10 a.m. - The Iowa Democratic Party chairwoman also is here (yup, they're caucusing too), urging students to start a habit of voting by turning out this evening.

The first student I talked to, 17-year-old Shraddha Bhtra, said she'll be heading to a Democratic caucus tonight even though there's no balloting there. "He doesn't have an opponent, but it's still important to go support President Obama," Shraddha said.

10:30 p.m. - Tagg Romney, Mitt's oldest son, talks about jobs and debt to the high-school audience. "How much interest are you going to be paying off to afford the borrowing of the previous generation?" he asks.

Tagg continues, saying Obama is "in over his head." Contrasts Obama to his father's business background, work running Salt Lake City Olympics, governorship of Massachusetts. 

Tells anecdote about father wanting to build a fence, being shocked by the cost, and enlisting his sons and wife to help instead over six Saturdays. "He wanted us to learn about hard work," Tagg says.

10:47 a.m. - Santorum has six of his seven children on stage with him, and was followed in by the largest set of cameras so far.

"Every generation of leaders has an obligation to pass along something to the next generation that his great," he says. "This is an important time for our country."

Tells about father leaving Italy during Mussolini's reign, came to Pennsylvania coal mines. "That's what America always stood for - that bottom-up, entrepreneurial spirit," Santorum says. "Unfortunately, some in America - and one in the White House - that don't believe that anymore."

Asks them to look for the candidate who believes in country's founding principles, urges them to hold their representatives accountable (and to read the news ... thanks Rick!). "Hold those candidates accountable to dealing with the systemic problems of a government that is doing more and more and giving you less and less freedom," he says. 

11 a.m. - Final headliner is Ron Paul, giving an intense lecture on government debt, individual liberties, and monetary policy. Gets his main audience reactions when talking foreign policy: getting congressional permission for war and "minding our own business."

"We have failed because we've said the government can take care of us," Paul says "The government is us. And now we don't have the jobs, we don't have the prosperity.

He continued: "If you have a free society and sound money, the prosperity will come."

As he ends, one student shouts, "Go Ron Paul!" He turns and waives, before walking off stage.

We said all eyes would be on Corey O'Connor today and sure enough they were -- he cast the deciding 5th vote to make (former mayoral rival?) Darlene Harris city council president again. In a 6-3 vote, only Bruce Kraus (whom Bill Peduto nominated to oppose her), voted against Harris along with Peduto and Natalia Rudiak.

That means there could be a veto-proof 6 votes in support of Ravenstahl -- if today's bloc holds, which is a big if -- comprised of Ricky Burgess, Patrick Dowd, Daniel Lavelle, Harris, O'Connor, and Theresa Kail Smith.

UPDATE 11:05 am. O'Connor says he's engaged to be married. Popped question yesterday. Notes his nephew Bobby -- born six days after his father died in 2006 -- is in the crowd.

Screenshot below: From left: O'Connor's fiancee Katie Stohlberg (we'll get her name later); his sister Heidy Garth and her husband Rich; and (foreground) Bill Peduto.

UPDATE 11:54 a.m. From Joe Smydo:

Mrs. Harris named Mr. Peduto chairman of human resources, considered one of the less prestigious posts.   She reappointed Mr. Kraus to public works, Ms. Rudiak to performance and asset management, Mr. Dowd to intergovernmental affairs and Ms. Kail-Smith to public safety. She appointed Mr. Lavelle to land use and economic development and Mr. O’Connor to urban recreation.

Happy New Year Tim Murphy -- the conservative Club For Growth is trying to defeat you in this spring's GOP primary.

The anti-tax group (once led by Sen. Pat Toomey) today starting running two 15-second TV ads against the Upper St. Clair incumbent, hitting the so-called "liberal congressman" on favoring a bill on union rights and his record on earmark spending. Says a release from the DC-based group:

In Pennsylvania’s Eighteenth Congressional District, the Club for Growth PAC is launching two different 15 second advertisements aimed at encouraging the constituents of Republican Congressman Tim Murphy to ask themselves the following question: “Why’d he do that?” Tim Murphy’s record certainly might leave some Pennsylvania Republicans asking themselves the same questions.  Tim Murphy has supported pro-union “Card Check” legislation and billions in wasteful earmark spending.

. . . “Tim Murphy owes his constituents an explanation,” said Club for Growth President Chris Chocola. “He claims he’s fighting for Pennsylvania, but in Washington, he’s supporting liberal pro-union legislation and wasteful spending. Pennsylvania Republicans should ask themselves the following question: ‘Why’d he do that?’.”

The group says it's not making an endorsement in the primary, but the ad campaign is certainly a boost for former Hill staffer Evan Feinberg, who is courting nationwide conservatives in his run against Murphy and has friends in Tea Party favorites Tom Coburn and Rand Paul. The Club ads follow other third-party ads from a chemical lobby supporting Murphy.

The AP reports it's part of a $500,000 ad buy targeting three GOP moderates (including a US Senate race in Texas and Fred Upton's House seat in Michigan).

UPDATE 12:18 a.m. Chocola, a former Indiana congressman, voted for the earmark bill too.

UPDATE 11:20 a.m.: In a statement, Murphy campaign manager James Genovese says, "It's unfortunate that a group from Washington, DC is misinformed and cherry picking votes to mischaracterize Congressman Murphy's conservative record in Congress."

Full statement after the jump: