Comments on: Gerlach wins a ChesCo straw poll, but Welch claims a strong showing

By: karlub

karlub — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 17:11:51 +0000

FWIW, Curt Schroder is not going to be endorsing Steve Welch.

And Welch’s registration, donations, residency, move from moderate to conservative, or race-switching are not, independently, killer issues. In the aggregate, though, they paint a picture of indecision, credulity, and impetuousness.

I am surprised, also, that Mr. Guzzardi is so easily convinced Steve is an outsider breath of fresh air. I thought he was when he was running in the seventh. But then, on the encouragement of a passel of insiders, he switched races in the sixth to clear the way for Meehan, the consummate insider. Besides, the ChesCo leadership might be behind Gerlach NOW, but how did they treat him during his run for Governor? Do you think Jim will easily forget that? In short, Bob’s analysis of who is or isn’t an insider is incoherent.

Welch’s switch from the sixth to the seventh, btw, to me, fatally punctured his insider reputation. Welch’s strongest narrative, after this, was rendered impotent.

That all said, I would vote for Steve ten times before I would even consider voting for Pike or Trivedi. It is, I think, critically important to remember this as this primary moves forward. For now, though, I will cast my endorsement vote for Sellers. If I get to the point where Gerlach and Welch are my only choices, I am not entirely sure what I will do. Yet.

By: Congressional Round-Up – Week of 01/18/10

Congressional Round-Up – Week of 01/18/10 — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 13:50:01 +0000

[...] Gerlach beats Steven Welch (R) in Chester County straw poll. [...]

By: SickOfIitAll

SickOfIitAll — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:22:19 +0000

If Schroder were to endorse anyone in this race it would be Sellers. To me Welch is just a slick new Gerlach and I’ve had enough of that.

By: BinPhoexnixville

BinPhoexnixville — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 15:27:53 +0000

That is the problem with all you who try to go back to the only issue you have with Welch. Sestak was not a “self-described” liberal before his election in ’06. As Welch has explained, the switch on his voter’s card was out of anger due to what the Republican party was doing back then. It does not mean his core beliefs changed.

Go listen to this guy and try to meet him. I promise you, you will be impressed. It is sad that so many of the people on these blogs posts attacks without ever knowing the candidate they are attacking. Please, do your homework.

I like Jim. If it was between him and Curt, I would support Jim in a heartbeat. The problem is Jim does not seem passionate to me and he was part of the problem in the early 2000′s. I want my representive to stand up to either party and make tough decisions. We need new leadership across the board and it starts in 2010.

By: bob please

bob please — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 14:55:58 +0000

Bob,
You have a convenient memory. Just like you “forgive” Sam Rohrer and Curt Schroder’s pay raise and pension hike votes, you are also willing to forgive Welch’s support for a self-described liberal in Joe Sestak, and conveniently becoming a Republican right before running for office.

Any one you deemed not a worthy Republican you would crucify them with these tidbits. To me, you talk a lot about principles but rarely stand by your own.

By: Bob Guzzardi

Bob Guzzardi — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 12:58:19 +0000

It is telling that ChesCo Republican Establishment Hack Skip Brion could not wire the straw vote. This demonstrates that anti-incumbent, anti-Establishment Welch has grassroots strength. The Tea Parties are growing for a reason. Jim Gerlach has not reached out to Tea Party voter nor to the disaffected Curt Schroder voter. Curt Schroder is a decent man and the party humiliated him when it could have supported him.

As to Sestak contribution and vote, we all make mistakes. Steve Welch seems to have learned from his. And the GW Republicans set the stage for the Obama Demcrats who have enhanced and enlarged the GW Bush spending.

Steve Welch is phone banking for Scott Brown and Jim Gerlach is relying on the party and, in this environment, this may not be best strategy.

The Ds are losing on issues. Steve Welch is solid and an instinctive Limited Government Free Market advocate. Jim Gerlach lacks credibility on the Debt Deficit and Spending issues because of his voting record and because he was not independent of Republican House leadership.

Steve Welch is independent of leadership and a Constitutional Republican. Free Markets for Free People and Free Minds. This is the year of anti-incumbent and anti-Establishment, not the year of the Republican team player.

By: so...

so... — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 03:38:15 +0000

ODE: so, in other words, jim gerlach?

By: Ode

Ode — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 02:00:58 +0000

karen, grow up! Were you proud of the Republican party in 2006. Did they stand for anything except for big deficits and corruption back then. If my choices were Weldon and an Admiral in the military who said even though he was a Democrat, he stood for fiscal responsibility, I would vote for him! Unfortunately he lied but the voters in the 7th had to believe him over the corrupt Weldon. In ’06, I could relate better to a blue dog Democrat than the Republican agenda that pushed their religious agenda instead of a fiscal conservative one. Most importantly, I believe the average voter can relate to someone who votes with some thought rather than just pulling some party lever!

By: karen

karen — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 01:30:44 +0000

First of all, Gerlach does not have to be prompted and Welch is a democrat

By: Gabriel Weinberg

Gabriel Weinberg — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 17:36:11 +0000

Wow, I can’t believe Schroder’s out. The 40% is pretty amazing, and reading Schroder’s farewell message (http://www.facebook.com/notes/curt-schroder/thank-you-for-your-support/251480930167) you can see why people, even committee members, would be angry. Gerlach told everyone he wasn’t going to run again. People had gotten used to that idea and made decisions based upon it. And perhaps more importantly, I think at this point people really do want a real change.

I can only hope the 40% will compel Welch to stay in. And it would be cool if Schroder endorsed Welch as well. A spirited primary would not only be exciting, but if it stays positive, a welcomed discussion of local issues that may actually help Republicans in the general. We certainly need new ideas, and an incumbent running for his 5th term probably isn’t going to deliver any real discussion of them (within the party) without prompting.