Thursday, March 19, 2009
By Mackenzie Carpenter, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Conservative Republican activist Peg Luksik formally announced today that she will challenge Sen. Arlen Specter in next year's GOP primary.
The 53-year old anti-abortion activist and mother of six made the announcement while sitting at a kitchen table in Johnstown, stressing her Washington "outsider" status and her advocacy of family values, conservative fiscal policies and a strong national defense.
"Americans from all walks of life, and across the political spectrum are sick and tired of the arrogance of Washington's elitists," said Ms. Luksik. "Pennsylvania's hard-working citizens deserve elected representatives who use the same level of common sense that we use around our kitchen tables."
Ms. Luksik has never held elected office, but has run three times for governor. In 1990 she ran strongly against party-backed candidate Barbara Hafer, and in two subsequent races: in 1994 as an independent and in 1998 on the Constitution Party line.
Last year she was the campaign manager for William Russell, who mounted a challenge to unseat U.S. Rep. John Murtha, D-Johnstown.
Ms. Luksik is founder and former executive director of Mom's House, which provides day care for children of single parents.
Former U.S. Rep. Pat Toomey, now head of the conservative group Club for Growth in Washington, D.C., has also said he will challenge Mr. Specter for the Republican nomination for Senate in 2010.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09078/956873-100.stm
Friday, March 20, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
PENNSYLVANIA GOV. race heats up!!
Attorney General Tom Corbett (R) launched his campaign for Governor on Tuesday. Congressman Jim Gerlach and former US Attorney Pat Meehan are also competing for the GOP nomination for Governor. Governor Ed Rendell (D) is term-limited. Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato, State Auditor General Jack Wagner , and Lehigh County Executive Don Cunningham are all expected to compete for the Democratic nomination -- but, to date, none have formally entered the contest
http://www.politics1.com/
http://www.politics1.com/
Specter won’t rule out run as an Independent
By Aaron Blake
03/17/09 08:18 PM [ET]
Sen. Arlen Specter said Tuesday that he will not run for reelection in 2010 as a Democrat, but might run as an Independent.
The Pennsylvania Republican has been under tremendous pressure from the GOP base since being one of just three Republicans to vote for the Democratic-led stimulus package last month.
He said in an interview with The Hill that the role of the Republican Party in Washington is too vital for him to switch to the Democratic side.
“I’m staying a Republican because I think I have a more important role to play there,” he said. “I think the United States very desperately needs a two-party system. … And I’m afraid that we’re becoming a one-party system, with Republicans becoming just a regional party.”
At the same time, Specter said he is open to the possibility of running as an Independent with the understanding that he would caucus with Republicans, just as Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) did with Democrats in 2006.
Though he left that option on the table, he suggested it would be a last resort.
“It’s pretty hard to run without a party,” Specter said. “It’s always something that could be a possibility. But then I wouldn’t be in the Republican caucus — wouldn’t have quite the standing as a Republican.”
The decision would be harder for Specter, too, because Pennsylvania state law does not allow someone who has lost a primary to run as an Independent, as Lieberman did. Specter would need to decide to run without a party in advance of the primaries.
Specter lamented that his home state doesn’t allow for him to run as an Independent if he loses the primary. He also said he supports an upcoming effort to open the primaries to independent voters.
A recent Susquehanna poll showed 66 percent of Pennsylvania Republicans saying they would like a new senator, while just 26 percent said they would support Specter.
Specter also has a viable primary opponent in former Rep. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), who lost to Specter by less than 2 percent in the 2004 primary.
The five-term incumbent senator, who switched from Democrat to Republican before running for Philadelphia district attorney in 1965, suggested that his principles might be more important than his political survival. He cited his recent decision to be one of three Republican senators to join all Democrats in supporting President Obama’s $787 billion stimulus package as an example.
“Sometimes it might be too high a price to be able to stay here,” he said. “When I voted on the stimulus package, I was well-aware of the political peril.”
Specter could alienate his base again if he votes for the Employee Free Choice Act, which would make it easier for unions to organize and was reintroduced earlier this month. He was the lone Republican to join Democrats in a failed attempt to call up the bill last Congress, and he’s carefully considering voting for the bill again.
Talk of a Specter switch percolated Monday when Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell (D) said in an interview with a news station that he, Vice President Biden and Sen. Bob Casey Jr. (D-Pa.) have all tried to recruit Specter to the Democratic side.
Were Specter to join the Democrats, they would likely attain a 60-seat, “filibuster-proof” majority, with Democrat Al Franken apparently headed for victory in Minnesota’s protracted Senate race.
Specter said that prospect is not appealing.
“I think each of the 41 Republican senators, in a sense — and I don’t want to overstate this — is a national asset,” he said, “because if one was gone, you’d only have 40, the Democrats would have 60, and they would control all of the mechanisms of government.”
Leaving his party to run as an Independent would be welcome news to at least one member of the Senate.
“I’d be delighted to have him in my caucus,” Lieberman said.
Michael Sandler contributed to this article.
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/specter-wont-rule-out-run-as-an-independent-2009-03-17.html
03/17/09 08:18 PM [ET]
Sen. Arlen Specter said Tuesday that he will not run for reelection in 2010 as a Democrat, but might run as an Independent.
The Pennsylvania Republican has been under tremendous pressure from the GOP base since being one of just three Republicans to vote for the Democratic-led stimulus package last month.
He said in an interview with The Hill that the role of the Republican Party in Washington is too vital for him to switch to the Democratic side.
“I’m staying a Republican because I think I have a more important role to play there,” he said. “I think the United States very desperately needs a two-party system. … And I’m afraid that we’re becoming a one-party system, with Republicans becoming just a regional party.”
At the same time, Specter said he is open to the possibility of running as an Independent with the understanding that he would caucus with Republicans, just as Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) did with Democrats in 2006.
Though he left that option on the table, he suggested it would be a last resort.
“It’s pretty hard to run without a party,” Specter said. “It’s always something that could be a possibility. But then I wouldn’t be in the Republican caucus — wouldn’t have quite the standing as a Republican.”
The decision would be harder for Specter, too, because Pennsylvania state law does not allow someone who has lost a primary to run as an Independent, as Lieberman did. Specter would need to decide to run without a party in advance of the primaries.
Specter lamented that his home state doesn’t allow for him to run as an Independent if he loses the primary. He also said he supports an upcoming effort to open the primaries to independent voters.
A recent Susquehanna poll showed 66 percent of Pennsylvania Republicans saying they would like a new senator, while just 26 percent said they would support Specter.
Specter also has a viable primary opponent in former Rep. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), who lost to Specter by less than 2 percent in the 2004 primary.
The five-term incumbent senator, who switched from Democrat to Republican before running for Philadelphia district attorney in 1965, suggested that his principles might be more important than his political survival. He cited his recent decision to be one of three Republican senators to join all Democrats in supporting President Obama’s $787 billion stimulus package as an example.
“Sometimes it might be too high a price to be able to stay here,” he said. “When I voted on the stimulus package, I was well-aware of the political peril.”
Specter could alienate his base again if he votes for the Employee Free Choice Act, which would make it easier for unions to organize and was reintroduced earlier this month. He was the lone Republican to join Democrats in a failed attempt to call up the bill last Congress, and he’s carefully considering voting for the bill again.
Talk of a Specter switch percolated Monday when Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell (D) said in an interview with a news station that he, Vice President Biden and Sen. Bob Casey Jr. (D-Pa.) have all tried to recruit Specter to the Democratic side.
Were Specter to join the Democrats, they would likely attain a 60-seat, “filibuster-proof” majority, with Democrat Al Franken apparently headed for victory in Minnesota’s protracted Senate race.
Specter said that prospect is not appealing.
“I think each of the 41 Republican senators, in a sense — and I don’t want to overstate this — is a national asset,” he said, “because if one was gone, you’d only have 40, the Democrats would have 60, and they would control all of the mechanisms of government.”
Leaving his party to run as an Independent would be welcome news to at least one member of the Senate.
“I’d be delighted to have him in my caucus,” Lieberman said.
Michael Sandler contributed to this article.
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/specter-wont-rule-out-run-as-an-independent-2009-03-17.html
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Allegheny county meeting
Please plan on attending our monthly meeting at Panera Bread. It is located at 7217 McKnight rd and will run from 7-9pm. It is Tuesday(St. Paddy's day)night so please come and see what is going on in the coming months. There are several new items to discuss so bring a friend.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)