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GOP goes after Rohrer in mailer

GOP goes after Rohrer in mailer

The state Republican Party is going directly after underdog conservative gubernatorial candidate Sam Rohrer in a direct-mail campaign, rehashing his vote for the controversial 2005 legislative pay raise and saying that “the choice for governor could not be more clear.”

The campaign mailer, first reported by Capitolwire (subscription only), marks the first time that the state party has used any significant kind of paid media to attack Rohrer in his insurgent bid against state Attorney General Tom Corbett. The mailer contrasts what the state party calls Rohrer’s “career of trying to raise his taxpayer-funded income” with Corbett’s career of “protecting the taxpayers’ money.”

State party spokesman Michael Barley told Capitolwire that the GOP felt it “incumbent upon us to set the record straight,” especially after Rohrer criticized remarks in which Corbett called the Constitution a “living document.”

“After the attacks begin, it’s important for us to set the record straight,” Barley said.

Rohrer has called his vote for the pay raise a mistake. Whether the mailer underscores any concern from party officials that their endorsed candidate is more vulnerable than conventional wisdom would dictate remains unclear. Polls have consistently shown Corbett holding a wide lead over Rohrer, but those same polls have shown significant blocs of undecided voters remain.

Rohrer’s campaign sought to frame the news as a sign that the state party, which endorsed Corbett in  February, is running scared. In an e-mail to supporters Friday with the subject line “URGENT: DRAMATIC CHANGES,” Rohrer senior strategist Jeff Coleman claimed the the campaign’s internal polling showed Corbett dropping 20 percent since February, said Corbett canceled a scheduled debate and was beginning to emphasize more conservative themes in his campaign.

“Our opponent is finally seeing what you have seen for weeks—with hundreds of others at packed-out townhalls—the energy and passion in 2010 is with the conservative majority within our party,” Coleman wrote. “Sam Rohrer can, and will, win the Republican nomination with your prayers and hard work!”

GrassrootsPA obtained a copy of the mailer (click here for the front and click here for the back).

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May 14, 2010 at 11:48 am

--pa2010.com Staff

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  1. Cry Baby

    May 14th, 2010

    GO SAM GO!!!!! You must have the “GOOD OLD BOY NETWORK” On the run! They are running scared! Afraid of losing their Patronage jobs!

  2. Bryan C

    May 14th, 2010

    Time to shake up the establishment! Sam’s been talking conservative the whole time, not just waiting to see which way the wind blows with the party voters. When Corbett wouldn’t even debate Sam last week, that was showing me that he and the state GOP have no respect for the voters. Now they’re worried? Don’t worry, we’ve got the “true” message.

  3. Brent Wingard

    May 14th, 2010

    Sam has all the momentum in this race as I detailed in a post on another thread. My point to make here is that the state party has no business whatsoever sending out a mailer like this trying to denigrate a fellow Republican. That’s right. This wasn’t sent out by the Corbett campaign (although they don’t seem to have any problem with it). This was sent out by the Republican Party of Pennsylvania! Now we’ve all read David Diano’s comments on here about how Joe Sestak is damaging the Democratic party. What does this say about the dysfunction at the highest level of the GOP? This is yet another reason why voters are fed up with the bigshots in both parties. If not for the fact that Pennsylvania has closed primaries, I wonder how many people would register as independent? I know I have voted for candidates from numerous parties over the years – Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Constitution (have never voted Green Party – sorry to any Greens reading this). Frankly, it’s about who is the best candidate regardless of party. Sure, I more frequently vote Republican as my views lean that way, but I have no loyalty to the “party machine”. This is just one more thing to turn people off about the party structure. It’s bad enough the Dems and Repubs attack each other so brutally, but when they start eating their own, it’s time to say enough is enough. Okay, back to my original point. In the aforementioned thread where I posted about Sam’s momentum, some posters responded with “Dream on”. Frankly, if he had no chance, I don’t think they’d be pulling something like this, so they must be worried about Sam knocking off their endorsed candidate. Again, we won’t know until Tuesday. As Forrest Gump might say, that’s all I have to say about that.

  4. Nic

    May 14th, 2010

    This is crazy. Everything in the mailing is 100% accurate. It is almost as if the Rohrer people have been brain washed by Sam Rohrer. He voted for the pension raise which is the single biggest problem facing the state. Just because he know says he wants to shrink government we are suppose to believe him. It is time we start judging people of merit and actions. Rohrer words may be sweet but he lacks merit and his actions do not match his words.

  5. Joe

    May 14th, 2010

    I can’t find a single true blood conservative voting for Rohrer.

  6. Joe

    May 14th, 2010

    Two polls just came out that have Corbett at 57 and 58 percent.

  7. CONVICTED FELON ROBERT (CANDYMAN ) ASHER IS THE PRIME SPONSOR OF CORBETT

    May 14th, 2010

    CORBETT Should be ashamed of himself cavorting with know criminal FELON RNC Member Robart ( ASHER’S CANDIES ) Asher R Budd Dwyer Blew his Brains out on TV Thanks to Felon AsHer’sScheme to Rip Off The People of Pennsylvania Google Video of R Bud Dwyer and you can see him Blowing his Brains out and Corbett’s Mentor and Prime Sponsor is Felon Asher How can the Republican party even associated themselves with Felon Asher I call Upon Eric Holder to examine all the Contracts Robert FELON Asher has with The Pennsylvania Government and all other forms of Government in Pennsylvania Asher In My Opinion should be back in Prison for what he is Doing Pennsylvania State Republican Party HAVE YOU NO SHAME Support Sam for Government He never cause anyone to BLOW THEIR BRIANS OUT

  8. Nic

    May 14th, 2010

    No Sam just sold us all out for a pension and a pay raise. FOR HIMSELF. How is this guy the ideal of the conservative movement. It makes no sense. Corbett has actually enacted reform and headed to cleanup Harrisburg. Sam has been there for 18 years. Yes 18 years and has never passed a bill.

  9. HOW ABOUT CLEANING OUT CONVICTED FELON ROBERT ASHER

    May 14th, 2010

    CORBETT SHOULD BE CLEANING OUT OF ANY GOVERNMENT PROCESS CONVICTED FELON ROBERT 9ASHER’S CANDIES ) ASHER WHO IS A CONVICTED FELON AND COULD NOT GET A JOB IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR BECAUSE HE IS A CONVICTED FELON YET HE GETS GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS FROM PEOPLE HE HAS PUSHED AND SUPPORTED THE MAFIA HAS NOTHING ON ROBERT ASHER FELON ASHER PUTS THE MOB TO SHAME IN THE WORLD OF SHAKE DOWNS

  10. I CALL UPON CORBETT TO END ALL ASSOCIATIONS WITYH FELON ROBERT ASHER

    May 14th, 2010

    Its Time for Corbett to come Clean and Tell the People in Pennsylvania Every communication Corbett has had with Convicted Felon RNC Member Robert Asher of Asher’s Candies Otherwise Corbett should step Down as Attorney General and End his Campaign for Governor Of Pennsylvania

  11. Right Wing Guy

    May 14th, 2010

    I’m just glad that payjacker RINO Sam will be out public office soon. Too bad we’ll be footing the bill for the retirement he voted himself.

  12. Harold

    May 15th, 2010

    You people who continually beat the pay raise drum are just as pathetic as Corbett because IT’S ALL YOU HAVE!

    Sam unwillingly voted for the pay raise under threat by the House Republican leadership that they would force his signature property tax elimination bill to die in committee if he didn’t do so.

    Sam’s vote for the pay raise was not illegal or unconstitutional.

    Sam DID NOT accept the pay raise as an unvouchered expense, unlike a great number of his legislative colleagues.

    Sam fought against the leaders of his own party in helping to lead the charge to repeal the pay raise.

    Sam has publicly and candidly admitted his mistake on numerous occasions and has apologized for it.

    The best comment I’ve seen on this was one from David Wright on Facebook: “Fact is that if we’re going to kick a man for a mistake when he has worked tirelessly to defend every other aspect of our freedom, we’re going to watch somebody else walk away with the freedoms we have left. It is truly an issue that grates me every time I hear it, because it is so unfair.”

    Corbett is deep in the pockets of the unions and other special interests and is facing trial on accusations of the misappropriation of millions in taxpayer dollars by the AG’s office. But that’s okay, huh?

    The documented truth about Corbett is here: http://therealtomcorbett.wordpress.com/

  13. politigator

    May 15th, 2010

    To all the Samster’s out there…. I don’t think the pay raise that Rohrer voted for is necessarily a deal breaker if you want to vote for him, but it would help your case a lot if you admit that you are “forgiving” him for it. What about all the reps you guys ran out of office a few years back just because they voted for the pay raise. Don’t be hypocritical now….admit it!

  14. Harold

    May 15th, 2010

    Politigator,

    I’d like to say I forgive Sam but there’s really nothing to forgive. Anyone who has researched the pay raise issue understands why it went down as it did. I’m glad he voted that way to get his property tax bill to the floor, even though Perzel and Smith screwed him during the debate to make sure the bill was killed in favor of the phony gambling lobby-supported Act 1.

    But just to keep you happy, here it is: I forgive Sam. I believe his overall record of conservatism in the House speaks volumes and I’m not going to be one of those single-issue hypocrites who want to condemn Sam and try to define his entire tenure in the House through a single vote.

  15. Nick C.

    May 15th, 2010

    Rohrer has never ran to win. He wants to get enough votes so that he can work out a deal for a cabinet postion with Corbett in exchange for his supporters vote.

    He is the worst kind of insider who has failed his constituents over the last 18 years in the legislature. We should all do our part in sending him to retirement.

  16. Fairplay

    May 15th, 2010

    This is a prime example of the back-stabbing party machine that I am preparing to reject. Within days after the primary I will be changing my registration from Republican to Independent after having been a registered Republican for more than 45 years. The viciousness of the attacks on Sam by both the party and those in the rank-and-file who do not support Sam has cponvinced me that I want nothing to do with any of them. I will continue to support candidates of my choice from beyond the purview of the party. As for those of you who so adamantly support Tom Corbett – How can you favor this man who has proved himself to be totally undependable when it comes to delivering on his promises? You are beneath contempt. Vote for Sam Rohrer to save PA from itself.

  17. Josh B.

    May 15th, 2010

    Well, Nick C., I don’t know what district you’re in, but I live in the 128th and Sam has NEVER let us down. He has always been a decent, honorable man who truly cares about his constituents.

    Sam will never, ever take a cabinet position in a Corbett administration. Bank on it. He is in this fight to win and I know that he would not compromise his principles to join forces with a corrupt insider like Corbett.

    You call Sam an insider? How asinine. Do you think that Gleason, Asher, and the state committee would be fighting so hard against him if he was part of the good old boy network? If it wasn’t for the fact that an Independent can’t win in Pennsylvania he’d wouldn’t be running as a Republican.

  18. NO ONE CAN DENY THE FELON ASHER CONNECTION TO CORBETT

    May 15th, 2010

    CONVICTED FELON Robert ( Asher’s Candies ) Asher is the Prime Sponsor of Corbett and he wants Contracts from Corbett if Corbett Wins How the H e l l did Felon Asher ever get to be RNC Member Republicans Have you no shame Not One person on here has or can deny That Corbett Is Asher’s Puppet and Corbett runs around saying he is going to clean things up what a big fat JOKE

  19. Brent Wingard

    May 15th, 2010

    In response to politigator’s post above, Russ Diamond (Mr. PACleanSweep) has forgiven Sam and is endorsing Sam in this race. That could be a little awkward if Russ wins the LG nomination alongside Corbett (if either of them happen to win). To anyone who’s not convinced, you should attend one of Sam’s town halls. It’s getting close to Election Day, so there might not be any more left in your area. But if you were to hear Sam outline the issues and explain his solutions first hand, I think you would be impressed.

  20. trina

    May 16th, 2010

    I forgive Sam for that vote. And I love that he not only apologized for it, he also wrote the legislation to repeal AND did NOT take the payraise money. Did anyone ever ask Corbett if he returned the $ he received as a result of the payraise because he was a beneficiary of it as well. Guess what folks? He didn’t give the money back. So I believe Corbett and his “living document” statement are enough for me. Vote Sam Rohrer for Governor. If Corbett wins the primary he will NOT have my vote. I’m sitting that one out. I cannot vote for another party hack sent by Gleason and his minnions. The state GOP gave us Specter when we wanted Toomey. I will NOT assist in helping them give us another Specter.

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