Critz confident ahead of 12th District rematch

PITTSBURGH—Against a backdrop of monstrous cranes, dump trucks myriad other construction vehicles, Congressman Mark Critz (D-12) took time to tour an expanding Veterans Affairs hospital here Wednesday, and sounded a confident note less than 70 days before his rematch against Republican Tim Burns.

Critz, who was visiting VA facilities in Pittsburgh and Washington, Pa., came to town with Congressman Bob Filner (D-Calif.), who chairs the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

“I’m happy the chairman is…

August 26, 2010 at 7:00 am | Comments (0)

From the Blogs

LEFTOVERS: Corbett hits back, CQ on Kanjo cash, endorsements & jobs in the 6th

by Dan Hirschhorn

The nonstop tax attacks from Democrat Dan Onorato must finally be getting under gubernatorial rival Tom Corbett’s skin, because his campaign, which ordinarily doesn’t seem so concerned with winning the daily news cycle, is starting to throw a couple punches back here or there.

After Onorato spent a second consecutive day hitting Corbett on the subject of taxes, Corbett’s campaign e-mailed reporters a list Wednesday of all…

August 25, 2010 at 9:12 pm | Comments (0)

Onorato sees a flip-flop in Corbett’s tax pledge

Democrat Dan Onorato on Wednesday aggressively called into question his GOP rival’s pledge not to raise taxes as governor, pointing out contradictory statements given by Tom Corbett’s campaign about the specifics of the pledge.

During a conference call with reporters, Onorato noted that Corbett’s campaign told Capitolwire (subscription only) this week that raising certain fees would not violate the pledge he and many other GOP candidates have signed from the group Americans for Tax Reform.…

August 25, 2010 at 2:18 pm | Comments (1)

From the Blogs

The original BlueBlast is back!

by Abe Amoros

It’s great to be back on pa2010.com!

During these past few months, I’ve missed the exchanges and ability to directly comment on this year’s important races. Once again, I welcome the opportunity to provide input on contests up and down the ballot. As Chris Matthews pointed out in his book several years ago, you don’t allow any shots to go unanswered.

Rest assured that The BlueBlast will not allow shots to go unanswered, particularly with…

August 25, 2010 at 2:00 pm | Comments (1)

Another outside group targets Sestak; errs on some facts

Yet another conservative group is buying TV time against Democratic Senate nominee Joe Sestak.

The latest 30-second spot comes from Crossroads GPS, a group spearheaded by Karl Rove among others. It hits Sestak for supporting President Obama’s so-called “big government health care scheme.”

The ad misleadingly claims that insurance premiums will rise by an average of $2,100 under the new health care law, but the government report cited says increases will come because more family…

August 25, 2010 at 9:33 am | Comments (29)

Opinion

That other tax problem

by G. Terry Madonna and Michael L. Young

Taxes increasingly occupy the national mind. Should we raise them, lower them, let them alone, or just talk about them? Certainly we are doing enough of the latter.

The Obama administration seems particularly preoccupied with talking about them, even while wrestling with ballooning national debt, continuing high unemployment, and lethargic economic growth. But state governments, too, are absorbed with tax questions as they try to balance out-of-balance budgets, operate programs made more expensive by the…

August 25, 2010 at 8:38 am | Comments (3)

Murphy, Fitzpatrick spar on debates

When it comes to scheduling debates in the 8th Congressional District, the candidates and their campaigns are, well, debating.

On primary night back in May, Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-8) sent a letter to his newly-nominated Republican opponent Mike Fitzpatrick, challenging to him to a series of eight debates. Fitzpatrick accepted the challenge and the some, offering to show up for as many as 15.

So it came as a surprise to some, especially those in…

August 25, 2010 at 8:17 am | Comments (7)

From the Blogs

LEFTOVERS: Toomey & privatization, mocking indie cred, a poll, a 22-year-old tax

by Dan Hirschhorn

Democrats were scoffing Tuesday at a comment made by Republican Senate candidate Pat Toomey the day before: Speaking before the Pennsylvania Press Club in Harrisburg, Toomey asserted that “I’ve never said I favored privatizing Social Security.”

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, already knee deep in Toomey-related opposition research, had an easier job this time around, considering that Toomey has long been a leading advocate for policies that are widely considered to constitute privatization, or at…

August 24, 2010 at 11:20 pm | Comments (6)

Hagel: Sestak ‘exactly the kind of leader America needs’

PHILADELPHIA—Former Republican Senator Chuck Hagel endorsed Democrat Joe Sestak for Senate Tuesday, giving the congressman another supporter outside his party as he increasingly seeks to build his credentials as a self-styled independent politician.

Hagel, the two-term senator from Nebraska who opted not to seek reelection in 2008, backed Sestak at events in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, calling Sestak, a former Navy Admiral, “exactly the kind of leader American needs right now in its history.”

“I have…

August 24, 2010 at 5:14 pm | Comments (3)

Marino says Social Security cuts needed; Carney pounces

Republican congressional candidate Tom Marino said Tuesday that some Americans will need to “step up and take the hit by saying no to Social Security”—drawing a swift and biting rebuke from his Democratic opponent and leading the GOP challenger to quickly retreat from the statement.

Marino made his comments during an extended radio interview that touched on a wide swath of policy issues. They came as Democrats have been eager to…

August 24, 2010 at 4:53 pm | Comments (12)