Clinton To Campaign For Critz In PA-12
May 11, 2010 5:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | Share This
By Tim Sahd
Pres. Obama and Speaker Nancy Pelosi may be personas non grata in PA-12, but ex-Murtha staffer Mark Critz (D) is counting on another Dem -- Pres. Clinton -- to rally partisans days before the 5/18 special election.
Clinton will attend a 5/16 get-out-the-vote rally for Critz in Johnstown.
Coincidentally, Clinton also attended a last-minute event for Rep. John Murtha (D) in '08, as polls showed the race between Murtha and ret. Army lieutenant colonel William Russell (R) tightening. Murtha won that race with 59%.
There aren't too many high-profile Dems who could show up and do Critz any good here; in fact, despite the CD's nearly 2-1 Dem voter advantage, Pelosi and Obama hold abysmal ratings. And John McCain won the CD in '08. So far, the biggest stars Critz has brought into the CD include WV Gov. Joe Manchin (D) and doo-wop singer Jon "Bowzer" Bauman, although VP Biden held a fundraiser for Critz in Pittsburgh, which is outside the CD.
Clinton, though, is remembered much more fondly by voters here, and he won the district in both '92 and '96.
Businessman Tim Burns (R) won't be without star power on the trail in the final days of the race, either. Last week, his camp announced that MA Sen. Scott Brown (R) will headline a 5/14 rally in Washington, PA, and will also hold a fundraiser earlier in the day.
http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/archives/2010/05/clinton_to_camp_2.php