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Cernic says he’s no spoiler

Cambria County Controller Ed Cernic Jr. talks to 12 District Democratic insiders Saturday in Delmont. He finished third in the non-binding vote.

DELMONT—In the race for the 12th Congressional District, political analysts and watchers have already framed Cambria County Controller Ed Cernic Jr. as the “spoiler” candidate in a high-powered contest between Mark Critz and Barbara Hafer.

Not so fast, Cernic says.

“I frame the rest of them as spoilers,” Cernic said with a smile after he finished third in a non-binding vote among Democratic insiders here Saturday. “They’re all spoilers for my campaign.

Cernic won the votes of 14 delegates, second to 46 for Critz and 22 for Hafer. He reiterated his intention to stay in the primary race even without the party’s nod to be its special election candidate.

“I was not disappointed,” Cernic told pa2010.com. “I got good support from Cambria County, and I believe I’ll win the county on Election Day. But I’ve got a lot of work to do.

“I’ve run tough races before,” he added. “I’m used to being the underdog. I’m a fighter and I’ll be in this race until the end.”

See a video clip from Cernic’s speech to the Democratic delegates below.

March 6, 2010 at 2:28 pm

--Dan Hirschhorn

Tags: Ed Cernic, PA-12

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