John Peterson Endorses Gerlach for Governor

By GERLACH FOR PA

(Exton, PA) – Former central Pennsylvania Congressman and national energy independence expert John Peterson announced today his endorsement of Republican Jim Gerlach for Governor. Gerlach’s 17-point “Pledge to Pennsylvania,” released September 10th, is a “contract” to protect taxpayers, create jobs, cap state spending, audit government top-to-bottom and root out massive waste in state programs like Medicaid and Welfare. Peterson was the co-Chair of the Rural Caucus in Congress and represented 17 north central Pennsylvania counties for twelve years before his retirement in 2008. His endorsement continues Gerlach’s successful efforts in greatly expanding his support outside his southeastern Pennsylvania base.

“Jim Gerlach shares our rural values, and is the only Republican candidate for Governor who has the experience to create jobs and cap state spending. Jim is independent of the failed Harrisburg establishment that continues to give us more spending and waste year after year. We need bold new leadership in our next Governor and Jim Gerlach is the future,” said Peterson. “Most importantly, Jim’s years of service at the state and federal level gives him a unique understanding of the needs of rural communities, on issues of job creation, affordability and availability of health care, infrastructure and education – experience that cannot be matched by others with a few months on the campaign trail. Jim Gerlach is the only Republican with the kind of record to not only hit the ground running on day one, but have a positive, lasting impact on rural Pennsylvania.”

“For nearly 20 years, Jim Gerlach has built a solid fiscal conservative record in the Pennsylvania state legislature and in Congress, supported permanent extension of Republican-backed tax cuts that help families save over $2,000 every year, sponsored major welfare reform in Pennsylvania and helped to lead two sweeping government-reform commissions that identified billions in wasteful spending,” said Peterson. “Jim Gerlach is pro-life and is a strong defender of the second amendment rights of law abiding citizens.”

Earlier this year, Jim Gerlach voted against President Obama’s debt-laden stimulus package but demanded independent oversight of billions in taxpayer dollars to ensure they weren’t wasted by bureaucrats. Gerlach has also worked with commonsense Democrats on the national level to develop legislation that helps small businesses reduce the costs of healthcare through private sector solutions instead of a government run health system.

“The Gerlach Pledge to taxpayers makes it perfectly clear that the days of ignoring wasteful spending and failing to hold government accountable are over,” Peterson continued. “I’m looking forward to working full-time to help elect Jim Gerlach as our next Governor.”

Gerlach welcomed John Peterson’s endorsement, saying, “John has been a loud conservative voice for rural Pennsylvania families for years, and will be an important leader who will help develop our policies in this campaign on issues of rural healthcare, jobs and energy resource development. It means a lot to have his support.”

Jim Gerlach is a true Pennsylvanian, having grown up in the shadows of steel mills in Lawrence County in western Pennsylvania. Elected to Congress in 2002 from Chester County in southeastern Pennsylvania, after serving in both houses of the state legislature, Jim was the national Democrat Party’s top target in the country in 2006, enduring $7.5 million in spending and attacks from groups like MoveOn and ACORN. Jim has won election from a Democrat district which gave nearly 60% of the vote to President Obama last fall and nearly 70% of the vote to Governor Ed Rendell in 2006. Jim Gerlach is the only candidate who has proven he can win against tough, well-funded Democrat opponents.

Jim announced his candidacy July 14th and is not seeking re-election to Congress. Last month, Gerlach was endorsed by former Lieutenant Governor Bill Scranton, three current and former Republican Congressmen, who now combined with John Peterson, have represented 35 of 67 Pennsylvania counties. Their endorsement gives Gerlach’s campaign strong support ouside of his southeastern Pennsylvania congressional district.

For more information on the Gerlach Pledge to Pennsylvania, click here.

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September 24, 2009 at 12:19 pm

--pa2010.com Staff