Argall narrowly wins primary in 17th

State Senator Dave Argall (R-Schuylkill) just barely edged out a win in the 17th District Republican primary Tuesday, winning the Republican Party’s nomination by less than 1,000 votes in the central Pennsylvania district.

Preliminary election returns showed Argall winning 32.4 percent of the vote, with Frank Ryan, a military veteran who has run for the seat before, finishing just behind him at 31 percent. Josh First came in third place with about 23 percent of…

May 19, 2010 at 5:04 am | Comments (3)

Poll finds Holden vulnerable; large undecided bloc in GOP primary

Congressman Tim Holden (D-17) is suffering from the same low electability ratings afflicting many incumbent members of Congress, but the perceived Republican front-runner in the primary to face him has hardly sealed the nomination, according to a new poll.

The survey to be released Wednesday by the GOP firm Susquehanna Polling & Research found 42 percent of likely voters saying Holden doesn’t deserve reelection, while only 38 percent say he does deserve another term in…

May 12, 2010 at 7:45 am | Comments (0)

Argall raises little, but still leads money race

State Senator Dave Argall (R-Schuylkill) is still beating out his primary opponents in fundraising—but not because he’s bringing in much cash.

Argall raised almost $17,000 from April 1 to April 28, according to campaign finance data, significantly less than many other Republican challengers in the state. He burned through about $50,000 during the period, and finished with $71,000 in the bank. Primary hopefuls Frank Ryan and Allen Griffith raised about $11,000…

May 7, 2010 at 9:00 am | Comments (1)

TV time could be hard to come by in the 17th

With the Republican primary in the 17th Congressional District only three weeks away, candidates in the crowded field could find name recognition—and the TV often needed to buy it—a tough commodity to afford. The central Pennsylvania district sits in a relatively inexpensive media market, but few candidates have raised the money needed for a sustained TV ad blitz. Still, Republicans Frank Ryan and Allen Griffith said last week that they’re preparing ad campaigns that will…

April 27, 2010 at 2:03 pm | Comments (0)

Holden has $836K; Argall’s got $105K

Six months ahead of what could be a bruising reelection fight, Congressman Tim Holden (D-17) is closing in on $1 million in the bank, according to campaign finance data.

One of only two House Democrats in Pennsylvania who voted against the newly-enacted health care law, Holden raised about $283,000 during the first three months of the year. He spent about $120,000, and finished March with about $836,000 on hand.

Holden is…

April 15, 2010 at 1:19 pm | Comments (0)

Joe the Plumber endorses Ryan in the 17th

Republican Frank Ryan got a celebrity boost in his bid to take on Congressman Tim Holden (D-17) Thursday, from none other than the famous “Joe the Plumber.”

Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, who improbably emerged as a conservative icon after John McCain mentioned him repeatedly during a 2008 presidential debate, said Ryan, a retired Marine Colonel, has “outstanding qualifications for public office.”

“I am looking nationwide for candidates who reflect conservative values and whose personal record of…

March 4, 2010 at 8:33 pm | Comments (11)

Underdogs gear up in the 17th

To political watchers, the race in the 17th Congressional District is a showdown between incumbent Democrat Tim Holden and state Senator Dave Argall (R-Schuylkill)—as well as one more competitive House race in a state full of them.

But before the two can face each other in November, they’ll each have to face a primary against underdogs determined to make a dent. Argall’s GOP opponents recently made their first mark, when the Dauphin County Republican Committee…

February 22, 2010 at 7:45 am | Comments (5)

Ryan mulling another run for PA-17

Five years after losing in a crowded Republican primary, Lebanon businessman Frank Ryan is once again considering a run for Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District.

In an interview Wednesday with pa2010.com, Ryan said he was still a few months away from making a decision. But he has reached out to close friends and supporters in an effort to gauge support and commission a poll examining the potential viability of his candidacy, he said.

“I’ve made no decisions, but I’m definitely thinking of it,” Ryan said.

April 22, 2009 at 4:34 pm | Comments (9)