Gerlach seeking reelection for a 5th term

A day after withdrawing from the race for governor, Congressman Jim Gerlach (R-6) announced Friday that he was seeking reelection to his House seat, increasing Republican hopes of holding the 6th District and setting up another fierce battle between Gerlach and the Democrats in southeastern Pennsylvania.

His announcement had been widely expected even before he formally ended his gubernatorial campaign. In a statement, Gerlach said he represented the “best chance for Republicans to not only hold this seat, but play a major role in regaining control of the U.S. House of Representatives.” And he claimed that “hundreds” of his constituents had contacted him after he quit the governor’s race urging him to seek reelection.

“Seeking re-election to the 6th Congressional District rather than running for governor will change my position on the ballot,” Gerlach said. “However, my principles remain the same. I am committed to helping families keep more of their hard-earned paychecks, giving small businesses the freedom they need to create jobs and remain competitive and making sure the government lives within its means and works for the people.

“I have held this seat in the face of fiercely competitive elections in which opponents and liberal interest groups have spent millions against me in the worst political environments for Republicans in a generation,” he added.

Gerlach’s decision will drastically reshape what had been a crowded primary field of Republicans looking to replace him. With the National Republican Congressional Committee seen as firmly behind Gerlach, other candidates are certain to face some pressure to exit the race. Two Republicans who were seen as front-runners in the primary, businessman Steven Welch and state Representative Curt Schroder (R-Chester), both signaled that they might stay in the race, but did not say so explicitly. A third Republican, Howard Cohen, was waiting for Gerlach to make his final decision on Friday.

“As I have said before I admire Jim’s commitment to public service and look forward to a professional, spirited debate on the best way to revive the American Dream and stop burdening our children with mountains of debt,” Welch said in a statement.

Democrats, for their part, have sought to downplay the political importance of Gerlach’s change of heart. The Democratic Congressional Campaign committee has reaffirmed the 6th District as an important pick-up opportunity for the party, and Democratic candidates Doug Pike and Manan Trivedi had come out swinging against Gerlach even before his announcement was formalized.

“Doug Pike is ready to hold Congressman Gerlach accountable for his record of incredible irresponsibility on the economy, on health care, and on wall street oversight,” Pike campaign manager Andrew Eldredge-Martin said.

The race remains one of the most competitive in the state. Democrats have come tantalizingly close to beating Gerlach in each of their four tries. Dan Wofford lost by less than three points in 2002. Lois Murphy lost by two points in 2004 and by less than two points when she tried again in 2006. And when the party put up a less experience candidate in 2008, Bob Roggio lost by only four points.

Barack Obama won the district with about 58 percent of the vote in 2008, and Democrats outnumber Republicans in the district by more than 20,000 voters.