Altmire wins Westmoreland County Democratic Endorsement

Congressman Altmire was expected to win the Beaver County and Allegheny County Democratic Endorsements, but there are few that predicted that Altmire could win endorsements in parts of the new 12th district that Critz currently represents. I mentioned before that Altmire would do well in the Allegheny Kiski Valley (AK Valley) because he grew up there. Someone in familiar with Western PA campaigns said that Altmire's former high school football star status alone could get him the vote in the AK Valley. People in Western Pennsylvania take high school football very seriously.

Here is the full release from the Altmire campaign:

Critz Freefall Continues as Altmire Wins Westmoreland County Endorsement in Runaway

U.S. Congressman Jason Altmire today won the endorsement of the Westmoreland County Democratic Committee with 64 percent of the vote. Altmire has now won all three head-to-head county endorsement votes over his primary challenger Rep. Mark Critz.

In total, Altmire has won an astonishing 74 percent of the vote combined in the democratic endorsements in Allegheny, Beaver and Westmoreland Counties. Today's Westmoreland County vote is a particularly painful blow to the Critz campaign given the fact that three-quarters of the democratic voters in the Westmoreland portion of the new 12th district are current Critz constituents. The three counties together account for 75 percent of all democratic primary voters in the new 12th district.

The endorsements come on the heels of the release of a recent Critz internal poll showing Altmire leading the race by double-digits.

More $hady money flows for Keith Rothfus

A few weeks back, I was reading an article at the New York Times about the organization named "Americans for Job Security" that was running ads against Congressman Jason Altmire. I was one of the people that was very disappointed in the Supreme Court's decision regarding companies being able to make independent expenditures against and for candidates. Over the last few months we have seen more and more groups that don't have to disclose their donation sources buying television ads and sending mailers against candidates. I have seen it on both sides of the political isle. I would like to see the candidates that these ads support denounce these groups as shady and their money shouldn't be influencing our democratic process.

Here in my district, Tea Party candidate Keith Rothfus has been the benefactor of a $600,000 television ad buy from Americans for Job Security:


Just your usual attack ad with no basis other than scare tactics. I particularly don't like that all of these conservative/tea party/Republican groups act like Democrats have raised taxes when in fact since 2008 federal income taxes have been lowered by Congressman like Jason Altmire. Actually in the last 7 years, my only tax increase was by the all Republican Pine-Richland School Board. Jason Altmire and Barack Obama lowered my federal income taxes and Governor Rendell and the State Legislature lowered my school property taxes. I guess the Republicans will stick to their guns and call everyone with a D next to their name a tax and spend liberal. Even if there isn't any proof.

The other day I got a horribly misleading mailer from the 60 Plus Association. This is another group that does not disclose their donors. This mailer is made to look like it is a IRS bill and I can't believe they can get away with the line: "Please submit your check today to avoid penalty." The figure on the front of $31,000 per household is misleading since very few people in this country pays $31,000 per year in federal income taxes. It based on averages by extremely conservative groups that ignored the spending of the Bush administration. On the back of the mailer there is a figure of $42,000 per household in 2020. I can't find anything to back that up that claim and they don't give a source. Never let the facts get in the way of a good story.

So Mr. Rothfus, will you denounce these ads? Or will you just keep your mouth shut and reap the benefits of half truths being spewed by your Conservative friends?

We don't need another extreme right wing or left wing member of Congress. I believe that there are enough people in the 4th District that are independent thinkers and know that Congressman Jason Altmire is representing us in Washington. As Congressman Altmire's ads say, 'He listens to us.'