PA GOP: Corbett, Toomey Lead Republican Wave!

Release:

HARRISBURG – Republican Party of Pennsylvania Chairman Rob Gleason released the following statement regarding tonight’s election results:

“Tonight, we turned Pennsylvania red!” Gleason said. “What a wonderful night it is to be a Republican and a Pennsylvanian. Tonight, the voters of Pennsylvania cast a decisive vote of confidence in the common-sense economic solutions of Pat Toomey, Tom Corbett, Jim Cawley, our new congressmen and all of our successful statehouse candidates. Make no mistake about it: while our Party is thrilled with tonight’s results, we are even more excited about the opportunity for these qualified Republican men and women to get to work creating jobs and putting our Commonwealth on the right track. 

“I would like to take a moment to thank our fantastic volunteers for all of their hard work these past few months. We have the best grassroots network in Pennsylvania, and it is the dedication and energy of our volunteers that have made this night possible. 

“Because of our volunteers, Pennsylvania has played a key role in helping Republicans take back the U.S. House of Representatives. Because of volunteers, Republicans now hold a majority in both the state House and state Senate. And because of our volunteers, who spent their days, nights and weekends knocking on doors and calling their friends and neighbors, I am now proud to refer to our candidates as U.S. Senator-elect Pat Toomey, Governor-elect Corbett and Lieutenant Governor-candidate Cawley.”

The Republican Party of Pennsylvania had a historic night; winning the following critical races:

U.S. Senate

Pat Toomey  

Governor

Tom Corbett

Lieutenant Governor

Jim Cawley  

Congress

Mike Kelly (PA-3)
G.T. Thompson (PA-5)
Jim Gerlach (PA-6)
Pat Meehan (PA-7)
Mike Fitzpatrick (PA-8)
Bill Shuster (PA-9)
Tom Marino (PA-10)
Lou Barletta (PA-11)
Charlie Dent (PA-15)
Joe Pitts (PA-16)
Tim Murphy (PA-18)
Todd Platts (PA-19)

PA Update: Western Pennsylvanians are Racist and Redneck, Says Murtha

John Murtha showed himself to be an elitist snob. First, he said that people in his district and in Western Pennsylvania are racist:

U.S. Rep. John Murtha says his home base of western Pennsylvania is racist and that could reduce Barack Obama's victory margin in the state by 4 percentage points.
The 17-term Democratic congressman tells the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in a story posted Wednesday on its Web site that, as he put it: "There is no question that western Pennsylvania is a racist area."

See the video here.
Of course, that did not sit well with his constituents, so Rep. Murtha, who has falsely accused 8 Marines of murder "in cold blood", decided he needed some cover. So, he decided to refine his comments. They aren't racist, just historically "redneck":

U.S. Rep. John Murtha is calling many of the people who put him in office "rednecks."

The news comes one week after Murtha claimed the area is racist, then apologized for that comment.

In explaining his comments about racism, Murtha told WTAE it's difficult for many in the area to change. Murtha said that just five to 10 years ago the entire area was "redneck."
Now Murtha said only certain segments of the population are holding on to those racist feelings.

Just days after classifying western Pennsylvania as racist, Murtha took a step back from those comments, albeit a small one.

Nice work John. Of course, you are just mouthing the view held by the top of your ticket, one effite arugula eating snob named Barack "Who's Sayin? Obama.

Thank goodness the good people of western PA are paying attention. In the latest polls, Republican challenger William Russell is doing well. You can donate to Russell's campaign and help end the maniacal incompetence of Murtha here.

Pennsylvania Report

Here is the latest on a series of appearances for McCain/Palin in the Keystone State:

Women's Town Hall Meeting with John McCain-Blue Bell, PA
Montgomery County Community College
Physical Education Center
340 DeKalb Pike
Blue Bell, PA 19422
Tuesday, October 14th
Doors open: 9:30am

If you would like details and information on where you may pick up your free tickets for this event Click here!

Road to Victory Rally with Sarah Palin-Scranton, PA
Riverfront Sports Complex
5 West Olive Plaza
Scranton, PA 18508
Tuesday, October 14
Doors Open: 11:00am

If you would like details and information on where you may pick up your free tickets for this event Click here!

Road to Victory Rally with John McCain-Downingtown, PA
United Sports Training Center
1426 Marshallton-Thorndale Rd.
Downingtown, PA 19335
Thursday, October 16th
Doors Open: 10am

If you would like details and information on where you may pick up your free tickets for this event Click here!

Pennsylvania Report

Two items to report and both are McCain-Palin rallies:

Senator John McCain and Governor Sarah Palin will appear at a Road to Victory Rally, Wednesday, October 8th at Lehigh University. Doors open at 10:30am.

Road to Victory Rally-Bethlehem, PA
Lehigh University
Stabler Hall
124 Goodman Drive
Bethlehem, PA 18015
Doors Open: 10:30am

Governor Sarah Palin will appear at a Road to Victory Rally, Saturday, October 11th at Cambria County War Memorial Arena. Doors open at 8:00am.

Road to Victory Rally-Johnstown, PA
Cambria County War Memorial Arena
326 Napoleon St.
Johnstown, PA 15901
Saturday, October 11th
Doors Open: 8:00am

If you would like details and information on where you may pick up your free tickets for this event in Johnstown, PA click here!

Pennsylvania Update

Republican Leader, my Congressman and a Great American -- John Boehner -- continued along the I-90 corridor today with a stop in Pennsylvania’s 3rd Congressional District for an event with Rep. Phil English. English says “we're facing an economic crisis that is driven by the high and unstable cost of energy.” The answer, he says, is “greater energy independence.”

English is backing an “All of the Above” energy reform strategy to help lower gas prices, create new jobs, and strengthen our economy.

According to WYTV, English “believes a way to claim that [energy] independence is to open up more land” for environmentally safe energy exploration and production. In addition, he has sponsored a series of other pro-energy initiatives, including:

Legislation providing tax incentives for businesses and homeowners who improve their energy efficiency (H.R. 5984).

Legislation permanently extending the tax credit for alternative energy production, including wind, solar and hydrogen (H.R. 2652).

A discharge petition on legislation (H.R. 2279) to expedite the construction of new refining capacity on closed military installations in the United States.

Pennsylvania Update

A few items from the latest email from the PaGOP:

From the Desk of Chairman Robert A. Gleason, Jr.:

Energy We Can Believe In

Accompanied by former Governor Tom Ridge, John McCain returned to the Keystone State this week with campaign stops in Erie, Harrisburg, Lancaster, and York. We thank former Governor Ridge for escorting his good friend around our state. While Barack Obama is bodysurfing in Maui, John McCain continues to focus on the concerns facing Pennsylvanians. In particular, his visit with factory workers at the General Electric plant in Erie demonstrates his dedication to bringing about a practical solution to our energy crisis.

John McCain's comprehensive energy plan will not only help to ease the burden of high gas prices at the pumps, but will also benefit both our national security and our economy. By calling for a renewed focus on utilizing our domestic energy resources, John McCain will help us break our dependence on foreign oil that will allow us to invest that money at home. He is the only candidate to call on Congress to return from vacation and vote to support off-shore drilling so that Pennsylvanians can find some relief at the gas pump. Subsequently, McCain's energy plan, The Lexington Project, supports research into cleaner, more capable forms of energy so that our safety will not come at the expense of the environment.

It will also not come at the expense of our wallets, as McCain's energy plan is basedon two cornerstones of America: innovation and fiscal responsibility. He wants to jumpstart the auto industry by offering a $300 million prize to the company that develops a more efficient electric car because competition is the best pathway toward innovation. Consumers of electric cars would also receive a $5000 tax credit as a return for investing in America's future.

Conversely, Barack Obama feels that the way to energy independence is through higher taxes and vaugue rhetoric. He says that he wants to spend $150 billion in "clean energy," but has spoken out against hydropower, nuclear energy, clean coal and natural gas. Barack Obama supports a tax on coal and natural gas, both critical energy resources to Pennsylvania. Unlike John McCain, Obama has not called on Congress to reconvene and vote on off-shore drilling.

Pennsylvanians cannot afford a leader who wants to tax his way out of our energy problem. We need both short- and long-term solutions that will not be created by simply throwing hard-earned taxpayer money at the problem and hoping it will go away. John McCain does not set his policy according to the latest polling numbers. He provides concrete pathways to energy independence that incorporates industries that provide jobs to working Pennsylvanians.

We need a leader who believes in what he's investing in, whether it's alternative forms of energy or America. We need a leader like John McCain.

Pittsburgh Tribue-Review: "Ridge Escorts McCain on Campaign Trail"

Republican John McCain on Monday began a two-day campaign swing through Pennsylvania with former Gov. Tom Ridge, and Democrat Barack Obama countered by deploying Gov. Ed Rendell as the battle for the battleground state intensified.

The presidential campaigns dueled over energy and economic policy, with McCain and Ridge stumping at a General Electric locomotive factory in Erie, and Rendell responding in an afternoon conference call. McCain plans to have a town hall-style meeting in York today.

The Arizona senator renewed his call for opening more of the waters off America's coastline to oil drilling. He criticized Congress for adjourning without legalizing such an expansion, saying if he were president he'd have called lawmakers back to Washington.

PA-11: Lou Barletta To Air First Campaign Ad

HAZLETON – U.S. Congressional candidate Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta announced that his first television ad of the 2008 campaign will begin airing Wednesday, Aug. 13.

“As I travel throughout the 11th Congressional District, many people ask me when I am going to start airing TV commercials, so I’m happy to say that, due to the strong support I received from all across the district, I’m able to start airing commercials,” Barletta said. “Paid advertising is part of this campaign. I only wish my opponent would also be willing to meet me in a series of broadcast debates, too.”

To view the ad, click here.

BonusGate Update -- Treasurer Candidate Tom Ellis: "Bonusgate Indictments Trigger Need for Campaign Finance":

"In an effort to reinstill confidence in state government and end any appearance of impropriety to reinstill confidence in state government and end any appearance of impropriety in general - Tom Ellis - Republican State Treasurer Candidate - is calling for campaign contribution limits for those potentially dealing with the State Treasurer's office. "Given the previous pay-to-play scandals in Philadelphia and throughout the Commonwealth, the current Bonusgate investigation and the midnight pay grab, we need to send a strong message that the office of State Treasurer will be working in the interests of only one special interest group: the Pennsylvania Taxpayer," Ellis said.

During this year’s budget debate, campaign finance reform almost came to the State Treasurer’s Office. A proposed measure would have prohibited campaign contributions by those providing investment services to the State Treasury Department. The measure was an amendment to Senate Bill 1297 authored by Representative Steve Nickol. The language was stripped out, and one week later, Attorney General Corbett announced the indictment of present and former House officials in the Bonusgate scandal. “Business as usual in Harrisburg must change - it must mean transparency in the operation of government if we are to earn the public trust” Ellis added.

Treasurer’s office as soon as I am elected and take office in January.”

Under the Ellis proposal, all political contributions by those who have contracts with or which to contract with the Treasurer’s office would be prohibited except for those contributions not exceeding $250 given by State residents. Said Ellis, “In order to get this up and running in January, and not to reinvent the wheel, I would propose adoption of many of the rules and regulations already enacted by the MSRB which have proved to be workable. When a taxpayer sends his or her money to Harrisburg to pay taxes, he should feel confident that every dollar will be spent for his or her benefit and not the benefit of those merely seeking profit.” Continued Ellis, “Bonusgate was simply another warning that business in Harrisburg cannot go on as usual. We need to take the greatest precautions to give the greatest confidence possible to our people because it is the people that we work for.”

Click here for the rest of the article.

And from our friends at the Republican State Leadership Committee, we have this BonusGate Update: Ralph Nadar - The Subplot to Bonusgate Scandal.

We told you the Nader angle would keep this story in the news in fresh and exciting ways. From Phoenixville News:

A subplot to the Bonusgate scandal is the ongoing drama of what state Democrats did to prevent Ralph Nader and his Green Party from gaining a spot on the 2004 Presidential Election ballot. Attorney General Tom Corbett’s investigation has uncovered a systemic effort by House Democratic employees to frustrate Nader’s ballot drive — all allegedly at taxpayer expense.

Keeping Nader off the ballot was a top priority for state Democrats in 2004. President Bush and the Democratic Party nominee U.S. Senator John Kerry were running neck-and-neck in the polls. Nader posed a threat to Kerry by virtue of his appeal to ultra-left wing Democrats who might have voted in sufficient numbers for Nader to deny Kerry a win in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania Report

I have a stack of Pennsylvania stuff that I have been meaning to get to; and since there is no time like the present, let's just get right to it.

Boehner on Tour

Let me start with this report from Republican Leader, my Congressman and a Great American -- John Boehner:

Over the weekend, Boehner headlined events for several Republican candidates in Pennsylvania, including three pick-up opportunities for Republicans in November. Principled GOP reformers are taking on Pelosi Democrats who have toed the Democratic Party line on energy, earmarks, border security, and more -- and voters are taking notice.

PA-05

Boehner kicked off his reform tour on Friday with a fundraiser for Glenn Thompson in Pennsylvania’s 5th Congressional District. Thompson is running to succeed retiring Rep. John Peterson in Pennsylvania’s largest district which has a Cook Partisan Voting Index of R+10. Thompson is a heavy favorite in this district and has significantly outraised his opponent with nearly $75,000 more cash-on-hand.

According to an article in The Observer, Thompson “says the number one issue facing Pennsylvanians is rising energy costs.” He “wants to utilize current U.S. resources by promoting domestic drilling as the part of the energy solution, as well as developing alternative fuels.”

PA-10

On Saturday, Boehner’s day began with a fundraising lunch for 10th Congressional District candidate Chris Hackett. Hackett is a strong fiscal conservative who supports a ban on taxpayer-funded earmarks and additional tax relief for families and small businesses.

In a recent op-ed on Red State, Hackett wrote, “We need an American energy policy that embraces ‘all of the above.’ That means increased domestic oil production, wind, solar, nuclear, natural gas, clean coal, or for that matter, anything other source that shows an ability to compete in the market.” Hackett’s opponent, Chris Carney, voted for a House budget that raises taxes on millions of Americans. And he voted against new American energy on 8 out of 12 key energy votes. The radical anti-energy Sierra Club, whose president says “we’re better off without cheap gas,” is running ads in support of Carney.

While Carney has more cash on hand, Hackett slightly outraised his opponent in the second quarter. PA-10 has a Cook Partisan Voting Index of R + 8.

PA-11

Following the lunch, Boehner attended a fundraising BBQ for 11th Congressional District candidate Lou Barletta. Stuart Rothenberg says, “Polling suggests that this may well be a top-tier GOP takeover opportunity by November.”

Barletta’s opponent, Paul Kanjorski, voted against new American energy production on 12 out of 12 key energy votes. Kanjorski is also taking a lot of heat for his admission that Democrats “stretched the facts” in 2006 about their ability to end the war in Iraq. And news accounts have uncovered trouble with Kanjorski’s taxpayer-funded earmarks, and his “family ties to some of the groups that have benefited from his earmarks.” Kanjorski even referred to taxpayer-funded earmarks as “free money.” The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review says, “In this battle of principle against pork, the choice is obvious.”

PA-08

Finally, Boehner headlined a fundraiser for 8th Congressional District candidate Tom Manion. According to the Bucks County Courier Times, “Manion said he supports a multi-tiered energy policy that pushes for alternative energy sources, conservation and an increase in the domestic supply by drilling.”

Manion’s opponent, Patrick Murphy, voted against new American energy production on 12 out of 12 key energy votes. He’s also come under scrutiny for accepting a $100,000 advance on an autobiography just days before House ethics rules would have prevented him from doing so.

PA-16

On Sunday, Boehner headlined a fundraiser for Rep. Joe Pitts from Pennsylvania’s 16th Congressional District. Pitts is the author of H.R. 2279, legislation that would expedite the construction of new refineries on closed military bases in the United States.

In an op-ed for The Phoenix, Pitts too calls for an “all of the above” energy strategy and says “[t]here has not been a lack of time to deal with the issue of skyrocketing gas prices — there has been a lack of will.” He lists off “the pieces of legislation that have been considered on the House floor even as gas prices skyrocketed,” including “legislation commending the Houston Dynamo Soccer Team” when has was $3.03 per gallon and “legislation designating National Train Day” when gas $3.77 p/g, and more.

McCain Visit

John McCain will be in York next week for a major campaign event. He will discuss his plan to keep and create jobs in Pennsylvania, get our economy moving again, and lower gas prices. If you are interested in learning more about this event please click here, send an email to pennsylvania@johnmccain.com, or call 717-412-1538 with your name and phone number and a campaign representative will contact you.

"Pennsylvania Democrats Morale is "In The Toilet"

I've been following the development of this story via the Republican State Leadership Committee and their blog "State News Shot" and I have to say that all of this news is encouraging for Republicans, particularly those of us who don't live there and have to deal with this particular Culture of Corruption.

The title to this section comes from the RSLC's post on the subject, which is about an article in the Pittsburgh Tribune Review in which an anonymous staffer assesses the state of morale for Keystone Democrats.

All of this is due to a growing scandal called BonusGate (the best post for getting a grip on what this is all about is here) that has the Democrats calling for the resignation of the House Majority Leader.

What the Heck is Going on in Butler County...PA?

From the looks of this, our GOP friends in Butler County, Pennsylvannia are having a battle royale for the heart and soul of their party. Sad to say, it doesn't look real good for the conservatives...the guy who won the primary has a real good shot of picking up the nomination from...wait for it...BOTH parties.

Pa GOP: "President Bush Deserves Credit For A Job Well Done"

Via email:

President George W. Bush continues to provide strong leadership and delivers positive results for our great country

HARRISBURG -Republican Party of Pennsylvania Chairman Robert A. Gleason, Jr. applauds President George W. Bush for getting legislation passed that funds our troops, delivers relief to struggling homeowners, and improves our energy security. Gleason is thankful that Americans are able to benefit from the steadfast leadership the President continues to provide this great country.

"The President deserves to be commended for a job well done," Gleason said. "President Bush got a Democrat-led Congress to pass legislation that funds our troops, delivers relief to struggling homeowners, and decreases our dependence on foreign oil without raising taxes on middle-class families. It wasn't easy. Congressional Democrats love pork-laden budget bills and seemed committed to passing troop funding measures that included arbitrary deadlines for withdrawal, but our President never wavered in his commitment to fund our troops without strings attached and made certain that our Congress spent our tax dollars responsibly.

"Democrats campaigned as fiscal conservatives, but once they got the keys to Congress it took a Republican President to stop their runaway spending initiatives. The Democrats have not been shy about their desire to raise taxes on America 's working families. The dramatic tax increases the Democrats have proposed this year would have had a negative impact on our economy, and I applaud our President for having the strength to stand with the American people and against the Democrat tax and spend agenda.

"Our situation in Iraq has also improved. Just one year ago, many Democrats called our mission a lost cause; but today, our military has made significant gains curbing violence. The troop surge the President proposed has proven to be an effective strategy as our brave men and women continue the work necessary to stabilize the region. The President understands that he must listen to commanders on the ground, not polls or liberal political pundits.

"With the many successes he has enjoyed this year, I was pleased to hear that the President is committed to accomplishing the rest of his agenda next year. Americans have seen Republicans deliver lower taxes, smaller government and a safe nation. As everyone knows, our country encounters new challenges everyday, but I am proud of the way President Bush has led our great nation. President Bush makes us all proud to be Republicans."

Also via email was this bit from their Chairman:

Chairman's Blog: Looking Forward

As Chairman of the Republican Party of Pennsylvania, I am proud of the work we were able to accomplish in 2007 and even more committed than before to expanding the reach of the Republican Party in this great Commonwealth.

We have many things to be thankful for this year. Because of your hard work and determination, our Party was able to win two statewide judicial elections, retain all of our endorsed judges, maintain control of all of our southeastern Pennsylvania courthouses, and we even gained majority control of the courthouses in Berks, Clearfield, Juniata, and Potter counties.

However, our accomplishments were not only limited to election successes. We were able to institute positive changes that increased the transparency of the business our Party conducts.

Before my chairmanship began in the summer of 2006, our Party was viewed as an organization led from the top-down, where committee people had no real say in the direction of the Party. With your help, we have ended those days; no longer do the few make the decisions for the entire committee. This year alone, I called for two open roll call votes, where committee people stood up and announced aloud the names of the candidate(s) they wanted to endorse and nominate for statewide office.

This year we also organized a summer meeting in Hershey, called Celebrate PA, where we held our first ever Presidential Straw Poll. We have formed new committees that have involved Republicans from all over the Commonwealth. I formed a Bylaws Committee that worked diligently to update our Party's rules and procedures. We also formed a Voter Registration Committee that is continuing to work to find and implement new ways to register Republican voters.

We spent more time with you in your counties, helping many to develop the tools needed for victory. We developed and launched a new Web site that is updated on a daily basis and serves as a great resource for Republicans in Pennsylvania .

These are all positive change and worthwhile reforms that I believe will translate into success during the 2008 election cycle. However, we understand that there is still plenty to do, and we are certainly not content resting on our successes. Our Party staff and I are committed to working nonstop next year to deliver 21 electoral votes to our next Republican president, but we will need your help.

A chairman who not only knows what a blog is, but actually supports the medium...interesting.