Heinz's 57 Varieties of Vengeance

Former first lady-in-waiting Teresa Heinz Kerry is devoting her considerable wealth and resources torouting paleo-con Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum in the2006 election, sources say. Last time she dipped into her political war chest,it was for second husband John Kerry. This time, it’s to avenge the memoryof her first husband, Republican Senator John Heinz. The sassy ketchupqueen has made it a “real priority” to see challenger RobertP. Casey, Jr. unseat Santorum because “she believes Rick hasruined her late husband’s legacy,” says one highly-placed Democratic insider.Despite their differing agendas, Heinz Kerry has been hosting fundraisers andcampaigning around the clock for Casey, the pro-life state treasurer, a solid she oncedid for Santorum.

“Teresa supported and helped Rick win in ‘94 when he ran for herlate husband’s senate seat. She’s known him and his family foryears; he was John’s intern, for chrissake,” notes our source. ButSantorum’s increasingly right-wing rhetoric seems to have alienated hisearliest backer. “No matter what John Heinz’s party was, he workedon behalf of Pennsylvanians and voted for what he believed was best forthem,” says a close friend of Heinz Kerry. “She just finds it unacceptablethat Rick votes with his religion. The fact of the matter is he took aconstitutional oath as senator to separate church and state, which means making secular decisions.” His comments equating homosexuality with“man on dog” love couldn’t have helped either.