Kortz: ‘I’m still in it’

Bill Kortz says he’s not going anywhere.

The Allegheny County state Representative told pa2010.com that while he is reevaluating his strategy in light of Senator Arlen Specter’s decision to switch parties, he still has every intention of running for the Democratic Senate primary.

“Nothing changes,” Kortz said.

He said reaction among voters to Specter’s switch had not been nearly as enthusiastic as the jubilation expressed by party insiders. And while he was hesitant to criticize Specter directly, he made clear he didn’t appreciate party leaders trying to clear the primary field for the newly-Democratic Senator.

“Just because he got off the elephant and climbed onto a donkey, that doesn’t make him a true Democrat,” Kortz said of Specter. “I intended to turn that seat from red to blue the right way. His switch doesn’t really make it blue.”