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Perennial candidate Lingenfelter making late 8th District push
Despite capturing less than two percent of the vote last time, Tom Lingenfelter is once again trying to represent the 8th Congressional District.
Lingenfelter, a political activist and former intelligence agent, is hoping to run as an independent in the Bucks County district, where incumbent Democrat Patrick Murphy is facing off against Republican Mike Fitzpatrick. But with the Aug. 2 deadline to file nominating petitions only days away, Lingenfelter acknowledges he may not be able to gather the required number of signatures to gain ballot access.
It’s the third time in as many election cycles that he’s eyed a seat in Congress. He tried to run as an independent in 2006 but failed to get on the ballot. He got on the ballot in 2008 but won less than 6,000 votes. And he was considering a run in the GOP primary this year He’s also previously run for lieutenant governor, and he challenged Arlen Specter for the Republican Senate nomination in 1998. In a recent interview with pa2010.com, Lingenfelter said he wasn’t planning to run this cycle because of a car accident earlier this year. But he decided he had to give it a shot.
“I would be sorry if I didn’t do it,” Lingenfelter said. “I think the country needs me.”
Pennsylvania law makes it difficult for independents to get on the general election ballot, and Lingenfelter needs almost 4,000 signatures at minimum—significantly more so if he hopes to head off a possible ballot challenge.
Lingenfelter said he just couldn’t bring himself back Murphy or Fitzpatrick.
“I would love to support someone else,” he said, “but good candidates are hard to find.”
July 28, 2010 at 3:17 pm
Tags: Mike Fitzpatrick, PA-8, Patrick Murphy, Tom Lingenfelter
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Rob
Jul 28th, 2010
Tom’s not running because he thinks he can beat Murphy or Mike Fitzpatrick-he’s running because he wants to pull enough votes away from Fitzpatrick just so he can “get back” at the G.O.P. and 8th District voters because they didn’t choose him in the Primary!
flynnbw
Jul 29th, 2010
Tom’s running because that’s what Tom does. He runs for things. I wonder if he will simultaneously run for State Rep. again too.
RUN TOM RUN
Jul 29th, 2010
Tom always brings out imporatant issues when he runs for office and makes the other candidates discuss the issues that Tom wants to discuss . Abraham Lincoln also ran for many offices and lost before he finally won and where would would be had Honest Abe not kept running . We are Lucky to have someone like Tom running. We should also make it easier to Run for office In Maryland you only need to pay 100 Dollars to run for Congress and they somehow work it out but the Bottom line is they have more people to choose from and thats exactly what we need MORE people to choose from not less . So May God Bless Tom in his Race for the cure
Fitzpatircs Cancer might come back
Jul 29th, 2010
Fitzpatric almost died from Colon Cancer and there is a good chance it could come back so do you really want to elect a guy who is a Lame duck to begin with ?
Joe
Jul 29th, 2010
Hope Tom is finally feeling better, strokes have a way of really restricting ones life, and can strike again without notice.
BB
Jul 29th, 2010
The more candidates running the better. We need to end the two party system in this country in the worst way.
Bucks Voter 3
Jul 29th, 2010
Don’t mean this in a disrespectful way but Mike is looking very pale and thin (that is, much more pale and thin that usual) these days. Is his health OK?
Even though I am not a fan of Murphy or Fitz (yes, Fitz is the lesser of the two evils), I do not want anyone to suffer bad health but I did notice this before that idiot who posted the cancer comment above.
ShamrockGirl
Aug 11th, 2010
I think it is incorrigible to question the mans health. I ask you sir are you a doctor qualified to make those observations? To make a statement such as the above is stooping rather low don’t you think? I would hate to think of the terminal diagnosis you would label me with because of the dark circles under my eyes. Dark circles there by the way due to the lack of sleep and worry of trying to feed and provide a home for my four children without a job. I was a small business owner but as we all know there were no bailouts for the little guys and when there is no work they don’t get unemployment either. Can’t seem to find one of the 3,000 jobs reportedly created by Mr. Murphy.
I have had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Fitzpatrick at several community events the past few weeks. He is the picture of health. I have never met someone as vibrant,passionate or hardworking as he is for his family, community, and country. He battled cancer and WON. Kudos for his bravery and fortitude in fighting a disease that affects many. I wonder if you would have such a pessamistic outlook if it was a family member of yours that had fought and won against this disease. His battle and success in beating cancer shows that he is a fighter in my book! That is someone I am willing to bet can get the job done whatever challenges he faces.God bless him for fighting now to take this country back, my children and I will have a better life for his efforts.