Roggio endorses Trivedi in PA-6, while Pike continues to rack up establishment support

Democrat Manan Trivedi got the first endorsement of his nascent 6th District Congressional run Thursday, when last year’s candidate in the district threw his support behind the Reading doctor.

Bob Roggio, who lost to incumbent Congressman Jim Gerlach (R-6) by four points last November, had been considering another run in recent weeks before deciding against it. He had implied in conversations with pa2010.com that he was likely…

September 10, 2009 at 1:07 pm | Comments (24)

Roggio decides against Congressional run in PA-6

Bob Roggio will not be running for Congress.

Roggio, a Democrat who narrowly lost to Congressman Jim Gerlach (R-6) last year, said earlier this week that he hadn’t “ruled out” another go-round. But he told pa2010.com Friday that he had decided not to launch another campaign.

“It is primarily a personal decision,” Roggio said in a brief interview. “You really have to have a strong committment to do this, and the…

August 14, 2009 at 11:21 am | Comments (10)

Roggio hasn’t ruled out another run for Gerlach’s seat

Nine months after narrowly losing to Congressman Jim Gerlach (R-6), Democrat Bob Roggio says he still hasn’t tossed aside the prospect of making another bid for the 6th District seat that the incumbent is now vacating.

“I haven’t ruled it out,” Roggio, the businessman and former Bob Casey staffer, told pa2010.com Tuesday.

Democrat Doug Pike has been building an early advantage in fundraising and endorsements, while Gerlach is running for governor. But Roggio said that…

August 11, 2009 at 12:49 pm | Comments (14)

Democrats once again eyeing PA-6

Regardless of whether Republican Congressman Jim Gerlach (R-Chester County) decides forgo reelection in favor of a run at the Governor’s Mansion, several Democrats seem well positioned to once again fight for the 6th District seat that the GOP and Gerlach struggled to win since its creation six years ago.

Doug Pike, a former editorial board member at The Philadelphia Inquirer, is the only Democrat to officially declare his candidacy for the seat, which includes areas of Chester, Montgomery and Berks counties. But at least three others are considering the race, including two have challenged Gerlach before. The district has consistently been one of the most competitive in the state. And while Democrats think they can win even if Gerlach stays put, most analysts consider the seat a lock to switch parties if he pursues the governorship instead.

“He’s had a tenuous hold on it,” said G. Terry Madonna, a pollster and political science professor at Franklin & Marshall College. “Somehow, he’s found a way to win. I think it gives the Democrats a huge opening should he actually run [for governor].”

April 19, 2009 at 6:15 pm | Comments (0)