Kortz, other lawmakers endorse Specter

Senator Arlen Specter won the backing of a former primary rival Sunday, when state Representative Bill Kortz (D-Allegheny) and four other state lawmakers endorsed Specter’s reelection bid.

Kortz, who had been something of a super-underdog n the Democratic primary between Specter and Congressman Joe Sestak (D-7), dropped out of the race in mid-January. Appearing with Specter in Wilkins Township, Kortz said the Republican-turned-Democrat “has influence, he has stature, and that cannot be minimized.”…

January 31, 2010 at 10:37 pm | Comments (2)

Kortz calls off underdog Senate bid

State Representative Bill Kortz (D-Allegheny) said Thursday that he was dropping out of the Democratic Senate primary, ending a campaign that had struggled to gain traction among fundraisers, pollsters and the media.

Kortz had always been a super-underdog, trying to garner attention in the high-profile contest between Arlen Specter and Joe Sestak. But he had worked hard, showing up at dozens of events and insisting he wouldn’t be counted out. As recently as last month,…

January 14, 2010 at 11:46 am | Comments (8)

Kortz: ‘We’re gonna surprise some people’

NEW YORK—State Representative Bill Kortz (D-Allegheny) wants to be the state’s next U.S. Senator. But he can’t even get independent pollsters to include him in their surveys.

“I have not called any of the pollsters,” Korts said Friday.

Kortz’s campaign, he said, commissioned its own poll. He said it found him garnering 11 percent of the primary vote.

“We’re gonna surprise some people,” he said. “They don’t take us for real.”

December 11, 2009 at 6:07 pm | Comments (5)

THE PRESS ROOM: Kortz wants more coverage

An occasional series of articles exploring how political campaigns are playing out in the media—in print, on the air, online and behind the scenes.

State Representative Bill Kortz (D-Allegheny) has long been getting the short end of the media stick during his super-underdog race for Senate. In a Democratic primary dominated by Senator Arlen Specter and Congressman Joe Sestak (D-7), Kortz has more often than not been an afterthought—in the minds of his opponents, political…

October 26, 2009 at 12:21 pm | Comments (6)

Funds hard to come by, Kortz is paying his own way

In his underdog campaign for Senate, state Representative Bill Kortz (D-Allegheny) has one big contributor: himself.

With money tough to scrounge up in a primary dominated by Arlen Specter and Joe Sestak, Kortz has been largely self-funding a bare-bones campaign—paying for travel expenses without reimbursements and loaning the campaign money while raising minimal amounts from local party committees in his district.

All in all, the campaign has raised only $4,400 throughout the election cycle, finishing…

October 15, 2009 at 9:34 am | Comments (5)

Kortz looks to debate better-known rivals

State Representative Bill Kortz (D-Allegheny) wants his Senate opponents to join him in a debate at Allegheny College, his campaign said Wednesday.

Kortz, who has struggled to get much attention in the high-profile primary between Congressman Joe Sestak (D-7) and Senator Arlen Specter, said he had accepted an invitation from the Meadville school, and hoped his rivals would do the same.

“Bill Kortz hopes that Senator Specter and Joe Sestak will accept this first of…

September 23, 2009 at 7:35 pm | Comments (1)

Poor Bill Kortz

The Allegheny County Democrat and state Representative still can’t get pollsters to include him in their surveys.

It’s hard getting noticed when you’re among the heavyweights.

July 22, 2009 at 9:11 am | Comments (1)

What would Catherine think?

PITTSBURGH—The Pennsylvania State Democratic Committee held a dinner here last weekend to celebrate the life of one of our most beloved Democrats from Western Pennsylvania, the late Lt. Gov. Catherine Baker Knoll. Everyone fortunate enough to know “C.B.K.” knew of her many virtues. One that stood out the most was her commitment to the people of Pennsylvania, and her sense of inclusion for all.

But the dinner that was supposed to honor C.B.K. was anything…

June 8, 2009 at 10:04 am | Comments (6)

THE PRESS ROOM: Kortz gets some CQ love

An occasional series of articles exploring how political campaigns are playing out in the media.

It’s no secret that in state Representative Bill Kortz’s insurgent campaign for Senate, the biggest challenge is just getting people to listen.

Kortz, the Allegheny County Democrat who has made clear he won’t be stepping aside for Senator Arlen Specter, got his first national press victory today, in the form of a fawning profile in Congressional Quarterly.

Headlined…

May 26, 2009 at 9:59 am | Comments (0)

For Kortz, the challenge is getting noticed

PHILADELPHIA—It seemed like every Democratic candidate in the room was up on stage. Candidates for local row offices, judicial slots and more were introduced one-by-one by Congressman Bob Brady (D-1), chairman of the city’s Democratic Party.

And then there was Bill Kortz, standing off-stage, seeming almost like an anonymous observer in the crowd of rank-and-file Democrats at the party’s spring dinner here Monday evening.

This is Kortz’s life now. The state Representative from Allegheny County…

May 13, 2009 at 11:27 am | Comments (0)