BREAKING NEWS: Kortz to run for Senate

State Representative Bill Kortz (D-Allegheny) will soon file paperwork to run for the U.S. Senate in 2010, The Daily News in McKeesport reports.

Kortz is only the second Democrat to declare his candidacy, following former National Constitution Center CEO Joe Torsella. He is almost certain to be the only candidate from western Pennsylvania, which could give him a large amount of the primary vote uncontested. State Representative Josh Shapiro is also considering the race.

“I understand this is a monumental task and that I will be the underdog,” Kortz told The Daily News in a statement . “However, I am entering this race for all the right reasons.”

Kortz’s announcement is almost sure to catch the Capitol by surprise. His name as hardly, if ever, been mentioned as a possible Senate candidate.

April 21, 2009 at 10:59 am

--Dan Hirschhorn

Tags: Bill Kortz, Joe Torsella, Josh Shapiro