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LEFTOVERS: A clean campaign call from Pike, Specter’s new book, petition updates

Doug Pike tried for something of ceasefire Monday—and his primary opponent’s response basically amounted to, “we’ll get back to ya, but probably not.”

Pike, one of two Democrats seeking the party’s nod in the 6th Congressional District, cited a report from our buddies at PoliticsPA that noted the contest between him and Manan Trivedi could become one of the “nastiest” primaries of the year (we agree, by the way).

“That would be a real disservice to the Democratic Party because that sort of negative campaign would make it much harder for the nominee to topple Jim Gerlach,” Pike said in a statement. “Both sides in this campaign have thrown some elbows in the past, but now that Jim Gerlach is back in the race with no primary opponent, we as Democrats both need to take a new approach. The entire point of running is not to beat each other, but to beat Jim Gerlach and turn the 6th District blue.”

Pike said that, if Trivedi agrees to do the same, he would, among other things, keep the campaign focused on policy; “never attack Manan’s character or family”; and refrain from using Trivedi’s “name or likeness” in any campaign ads or literature.

“Washington needs more and better Democrats,” Pike said. “This is how it starts. Let’s go beat Jim Gerlach.”

Trivedi’s campaign manager was in Harrisburg filing the campaign’s nominating petitions to get on the ballot. He said he’d look into Pike’s proposal later—but didn’t exactly sound enthusiastic about the idea.

“We are too busy completing the process of filing our nominating petitions,” Niles said, “but it certainly sounds like someone is afraid of his own record.”

Meanwhile, looks like Senator Arlen Specter is about to become an author three times over. After publishing Passion for Truth and Never Give In, pool reports Monday said that Specter is mulling a book about his experiences in the wake of switching parties last year.

“I do have some special insights, having been inside both caucuses,” Specter said.

And speaking of nominating petitions, lots of candidates are hyping their success at gathering the needed signatures. Ryan Bucchianeri, the underdog candidate in the 12th Congressional District, said he filed 1,640 signatures Monday.

“It is official,” he said in a statement. “Our campaign to bring about change to southwestern Pennsylvania and more importantly, change to Washington is now a choice that voters will have in this primary election.”

Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan, the Democratic candidate in the 15th Congressional District, said his campaign had gathered 2,591 signatures. And Jonathan Saidel, the leading Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor, said he filed with five times the number of signatures needed. He was also endorsed the Allegheny County Labor Council.

“It is no accident that Jonathan Saidel has received the endorsement of every labor organization in Pennsylvania that has completed its Lieutenant Governor endorsement process,”Jack Shea, the council’s president, said in a statement. “Jonathan Saidel has a track record with working families that goes back three decades. We know we can count on him.”

March 8, 2010 at 11:30 pm

--Dan Hirschhorn

Tags: Doug Pike, Gloria Carlineo, Jonathan Saidel, Manan Trivedi, PA-6, Ryan Bucchianeri

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