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Dow-Ford criticizes Holden for ballot challenge

Democrat Sheila Dow-Ford says the ballot challenge against her is little more than a political distraction manufactured by Congressman Tim Holden (D-17) to divert attention from the issues and his recent vote against health care reform legislation.

Dow-Ford, who is mounting an underdog challenge to Holden in the May primary, is having her nominating petitions challenged in court by Yesenia Rosado, an employee at the state Department of Community and Economic Development. Ballot challenges are almost always brought on behalf of candidates’ supporters, though neither Rosado’s lawyer nor Holden aides could be reached for comment. The petition seeking to keep Dow-Ford off the ballot, which will go to a hearing April 7, claims that the education policy advocate had numerous signatures from voters who aren’t registered in the central Pennsylvania district.

“I think she’s serving as the cut out for the Holden campaign,” Dow-Ford said in a recent interview. “It’s a game of joust so she’s doing what someone higher up in the campaign told her to do and she’s following order. She does not know me.”

Dow-Ford said her campaign would prevail in court.

“This is another reflection of the need for Tim Holden to take the attention away from the issues so he doesn’t have to talk about his vote on health care,” she said, “the increase of unemployment in Schuylkill County or education. It’s about a group of people who want to maintain power but not do the work.”

March 30, 2010 at 9:52 am

--Peter Panepinto

Tags: PA-17, Sheila Dow-Ford, Tim Holden

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