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Pelosi lessons for GOP in the 12th

Few things unify Republican congressional candidates as much as their dogged, public criticism of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Even before she championed such legislation as health care reform and cap-and-trade energy bills, many GOP viewed Nancy Pelosi as an electoral boogieman, a polarizing figure whose agenda could form the basis of their political comeback.

But the defeat of Republican Tim Burns in the 12th District special election last month has raised questions about whether repetition of Pelosi’s name alone will suffice as a political strategy, after Burns’ efforts to tie Democrat Mark Critz to the Speaker fell far short at the polls.

“That was a big part of the mistake that Tim Burns made,” said longtime pollster G. Terry Madonna. “He did not focus enough on the specifics of jobs and energy questions, and instead made Pelosi the poster child of his campaign.” Echoing a line that Critz himself employed to great success, Madonna said Burns “focused too much on Washington, D.C., and not enough on Washington, Pa.”

Even in less conservative districts, Republicans have hardly backed off the Pelosi rhetoric (in suburban Philadelphia’s 6th District, for example, one of incumbent Republican Jim Gerlach’s first post-primary moves was to compare his Democratic opponent to Pelosi). Burns’ task was made particularly difficult by the fact that Critz distanced himself from the Democratic line on health care, abortion and guns. And it remains to be seen what lessons the GOP—and even Burns’ campaign—will take from the 12th District loss.

“We can’t really fault Burns, though,” Madonna said. “That was the strategy many Republicans and even Democrats suspected might work. Pelosi isn’t popular in the 12th by any stretch of the imagination, but in the general election I think Burns needs to get clearer about the impact Pelosi’s agenda would have on jobs and the Pennsylvania economy. It’s not enough to use her name.”

In an interview, Burns campaign spokesman Kent Gates said the campaign would hold Critz accountable if the newly-elected congressman hews to close to the Pelosi line. The two candidates are set to meet again in November, and the campaign, for the moment, still seems ready to make Pelosi an issue.

“Mr. Critz certainly ran as a conservative and certainly worked to distance himself from Nancy Pelosi,” Gates said. “We’re going to hold him to that. We think Critz is a person who will say one thing in Washington, Pa., and another thing in Washington, D.C. Pelosi’s views about health care, abortion and the size and scope of health care are dangerous for Pennsylvania jobs and welfare.”

Critz campaign manager Mike Mikus said the Pelosi-centric strategy didn’t work simply because “voters aren’t going to believe we’re a bunch of liberals.”

“Mr. Burns was not successful because, in the end, our constituents know that Congressman Mark Critz is an independent voice. That was proven on May 18 and will be proven again in November. The communities across our District that are suffering are focused on finding jobs, not on ousting Nancy Pelosi.”

June 14, 2010 at 7:00 am

--John Manganaro

Tags: Jim Gerlach, Mark Critz, Nancy Pelosi, PA-12, PA-6, Tim Burns

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