Dinniman won’t run for Congress; field seems clear for Pike

Looks like Doug Pike can start his general election campaign early.

State Senator Andy Dinniman (D-Chester) said Monday that he will not be running for Congress, making it all but certain that Pike will have the 6th District Democratic primary field to himself.

After Bob Roggio told pa2010.com last week that he

August 17, 2009 at 12:58 pm | Comments (7)

Schroder brings on the consultants

State Representative Curt Schroder (R-Chester) has made the first major hires of his Congressional campaign, retaining a pair of political consulting firms to handle direct mail and media.

On the same day the campaign announced the launching of its

August 11, 2009 at 2:48 pm | Comments (7)

Roggio hasn’t ruled out another run for Gerlach’s seat

Nine months after narrowly losing to Congressman Jim Gerlach (R-6), Democrat Bob Roggio says he still hasn’t tossed aside the prospect of making another bid for the 6th District seat that the incumbent is now vacating.

“I haven’t ruled it out,” Roggio, the businessman and former Bob Casey staffer, told pa2010.com Tuesday.

Democrat Doug Pike has been building an early advantage in fundraising and endorsements, while Gerlach is running for governor. But Roggio said that…

August 11, 2009 at 12:49 pm | Comments (14)

Schroder responds to Ballard and Spahr lawyers’ accusations of defamation

State Representative Curt Schroder (R-Chester), who is running for Congress in the 6th District, recently responded to accusations of defamation made by the former deputy chief of staff to Gov. Ed Rendell, Adrian King. An attorney with the Ballard, Spahr, Andrews and Ingersoll law firm in Philadelphia, King is representing GTECH, a gaming technology firm that is based out of Rhode Island.

In a

August 11, 2009 at 9:09 am | Comments (0)

Costello declares candidacy for PA-6

Chester County Recorder of Deeds Ryan Costello officially entered the 6th District Congressional race Thursday, setting up a GOP primary battle as the party looks to hold the seat being vacated by incumbent Jim Gerlach.

Costello, former chairman of the East Vincent Township Board of Supervisors, said he was running out of concern about growing federal deficits and fiscal perils to the middle class.

“Like many of my friends and neighbors, I am deeply concerned…

August 6, 2009 at 10:44 am | Comments (33)

Reading mayor endorses Pike in PA-6

The mayor of the largest city in the 6th District endorsed Democrat Doug Pike for Congress Wednesday, in yet another sign that the former Inquirer editorial writer is marching to the party’s nomination unopposed.

Reading Mayor Tom McMahon called Pike the “right person at the right time who can help us with the change we need to get our economy moving again.”

“In Washington, Doug will actively support the interests of the people of Reading…

July 29, 2009 at 1:40 pm | Comments (5)

Pike gave his campaign more than half-a-million dollars

Allies of Democrat Doug Pike have touted the large fundraising haul he had during the second quarter, when he netted more than $660,000 in contributions.

What they didn’t note was that the vast majority of that money came from the candidate himself.

Pike, whose financial wherewithal was cited by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee when it noted his prowess this spring, gave his own campaign $510,000, according to

July 18, 2009 at 1:55 pm | Comments (7)

ChesCo official considering PA-6 run

Chester County Recorder of Deeds Ryan Costello said Wednesday that he is considering a GOP run to replace departing Congressman Jim Gerlach (R-6).

In a statement, Costello, also a Phoenixville attorney and former East Vincent Township Supervisor, said that his time as a volunteer for Gerlach’s campaign means he knows “what it will take to keep this a Republican district.”

It was the first indication that state Representative Curt Schroder (R-Chester) could be challenged for…

July 15, 2009 at 2:42 pm | Comments (7)

Schroder has $15K on hand

Fresh off his entrance into the 6th District Congressional race, state Representative Curt Schroder’s campaign has about $15,000 in cash on hand, an early indication of the financial hill he’ll have to climb against Democrat Doug Pike.

Schroder only declared his candidacy this week, though he had been organizing a campaign and collecting donations since May. Pike’s report had not been published online as of mid-afternoon Wednesday, though he was expected to report more than…

July 15, 2009 at 2:24 pm | Comments (1)

Murphy endorses Pike in PA-6

Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-8) on Wednesday endorsed Doug Pike for Congress in the 6th District, giving the former Inquirer editorial writer another measure of early support as he looks to lock up the Democratic nomination early.

“We need more leaders like Doug Pike to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with us in Congress, to create green jobs, to get our economy moving again and to get our fiscal house back in order,” Murphy told reporters on a conference…

July 15, 2009 at 11:22 am | Comments (0)