The Washington Post

pa2012.com is proud to partner with The Washington Post in bringing our originally reported insider political news to a wide audience of decision makers and opinion leaders across the country.

Close it

send to a friend | print | comment

For Burns, Russell is out of sight and out of mind

LATROBE—Even as his opponent vows to press on and challenge him in the May primary, Republican businessman Tim Burns says he’s not thinking much about Bill Russell now.

“I can’t be concerned with what Bill decides to do,” Burns told reporters here Thursday, shortly after winning the GOP nomination for the 12th District special election. “We are focused completely on this special election. From my campaign’s perspective, we are facing off against Mark Critz.”

Burn’s comments came as Russell looked to strike a delicate balance, criticizing his primary opponent’s lack of experience while also implying that he wouldn’t look to weaken Burns in his race against Critz, the Democratic nominee.

“I will not attack Burns as he takes on Critz,” Russell said, “but that doesn’t mean I won’t hold our party chairman accountable for going against the will of the people. My voters will come out and vote for me in the primary. I won’t have to attack Burns.”

share001btn For Burns, Russell is out of sight and out of mind

March 12, 2010 at 4:47 am

--John Manganaro

Tags: , ,

comments

comments [4] | post a comment

  1. mdog

    Mar 12th, 2010

    Folks: Chairman Gleason and Brabender have told Tim not to worry about a thing. They have a candidate who doesn’t vote, never contributed a dime to the party. Burns is out of touch with this district and MIA. Let’s cancel his membership application to the Beltway Country Club. The voters in the 12th are real people. You are not. Tim, you can’t buy an election here in Western PA.

  2. Larry

    Mar 12th, 2010

    If he’s going to buy the election at least he’s going to do it with his own money, rather than tax payer cash funneled through companies with defense contracts, like John Murtha. If this guy is half as corrupt as Murtha he will be a breath of fresh air to the 12th.

  3. Carrie Wright

    Mar 14th, 2010

    Laughable. Russell implies that “the people” are for him. Yeah, right. That’s why he lost by 18 HUGE points in 08, while McCain WON the district. That’s why, even after addressing the conferees and giving it his best shot, he couldn’t convince “the people” to vote for him there either. Know why? Cause “the people” know Russell engages in nothing less than Chicago thuggery type smear campaigns. His campaign against Murtha was all attack, no vision. His attack on Burns, the ONLY candidate who is a proven job creator, is yet more of the same: smear, attack, smear with lies and more lies, and smear some more. Yeah, real respectable, Russell. “The people” want a man with a vision and a man who exhibits class. We’re tired of whiners and those who intentionally lie.

  4. WashingtonCountyPA

    Mar 14th, 2010

    Hey mdog!
    I was there Thursday when Burns was selected, not elected. It was obvious the fix was in. The so-called conferees(all 132) were all up front closest to the speakers podium.

    The rest of us (about 100 of we lowly riffraff voters) were at the back of the room segregated from the front by a 20 foot empty space and by rope polls like you see in theaters (except the ropes were actually sturdy chains).

    When Burns spoke, the loudest applause came from the front.
    When Russell spoke, the loudest applause came from the back.

    And of course Gleason was gladhanding the conferees the whole time and ignoring us while strutting around like a proud mother hen about to drop her new baby chick.

    Afterwards he proudly told the media he voted for Burns himself. He’s the PA GOP Chairman who oversees all the County Chairmen AND he’s also the Cambria County GOP Chairman. Cambria County had more conferees there than any other county. It’s not hard to figure out what went down.

Leave a Reply


- will not be published


pa2012.com blogs