send to a friend | print | comment

Critz: ‘I kept my aspirations private’

The former district director for the late Congressman John Murtha officially launched a campaign to replace his old boss Monday night—and did so with a pointed jab at his opponents for making their intentions known so soon after Murtha’s death.

Mark Critz said in a statement that he resigned as district director earlier in the day, and that he was seeking the Democratic nod both in the special election to finish out Murtha’s term and in the primary to run for another full term.

“Unlike the other candidates and in deference to Mrs. Murtha,” Critz said. “I kept my aspirations private to afford her the time she needed to make this very difficult decision. Although I feel I made the right decision to wait, it has put me behind those candidates who felt otherwise.”

His comments were clearly aimed at former Lieutenant Governor Mark Singel and former state Treasurer and Auditor General Barbara Hafer, both of whom declared their candidacies for the race before Joyce Murtha publicly said she wouldn’t run (though Hafer did say she’d step aside if Murtha ran).

Critz immediately got a high-profile backer for his campaign—Mark Pasquerilla, the wealthy Crown American CEO who’s a registered Republican but was a staunch Murtha supporter. Pasquerilla had considered running himself, but CQ Politics reports that he’s supporting Critz.

“I’m going to stand with Mark because I think he’s the best legacy candidate,” he said.

In his statement, Critz said his experience makes him the best candidate to succeed Murtha, who died earlier this month after complications from gallbladder surgery.

“After discussing the upcoming elections with Mrs. Murtha I decided that this election is too important to the constituents of western Pennsylvania not to enter,” Critz said. “With 12 years experience in Congressman Murtha’s office, the last three as district director, no one in the field of announced candidates knows this district and its people like I do. More importantly is that I have an intimate knowledge of the needs and the ongoing projects in the district that is only gained through experience.”

February 23, 2010 at 10:00 am

--Dan Hirschhorn

Tags: Barbara Hafer, John Murtha, Joyce Murtha, Mark Critz, Mark Singel, PA-12

comments

comments [4] | post a comment