Schroder declares candidacy to replace Gerlach in PA-6

Only hours after Congressman Jim Gerlach (R-6) announced that he would run for Governor, state Representative Curt Schroder (R-Chester) declared his candidacy to replace Gerlach in the 6th District.

Schroder had long said he would vie for Gerlach’s seat if the four-term Congressman stepped aside in favor of a gubernatorial run, and after filing paperwork with the Federal Election Commission weeks ago, his announcement was mostly a formality. But as Democrats continue to coalesce around…

July 14, 2009 at 5:41 pm | Comments (5)

Why state Republicans should rethink their education-spending stance

While Pennsylvania’s legislators argue over the state budget, the federal government is putting pressure on Republicans to reconsider cuts that they have up until now insisted on making.

Republican state legislators have chosen to trim the state budget instead of increase the income tax. They should probably be putting their foots in their mouths: The Obama administration has threatened to withhold stimulus money intended as aid for schools from states that cut their education budgets.…

June 22, 2009 at 3:30 pm | Comments (0)

In PA-6, Pike starts staffing up

Still standing alone in the Democratic field for Congress, former Inquirer editorial writer Doug Pike is beginning to build his political team in the 6th Congressional District.

The campaign has hired Andrew Eldredge-Martin as manager and Amanda McKay as finance director, a campaign official told pa2010.com. Eldrege-Martin managed now-Congressman Chis Carney’s upset win against Don Sherwood in 2006. More recently, he managed Bob Lord’s Congressional challenge to John Shadegg in Arizona last year, when Lord…

June 15, 2009 at 12:12 pm | Comments (6)

Musical chairs continues for Pa. Congressional seats

The domino effect of the Specter party shift continues to work its way through Pa. politics, as Congressmen. Jim Gerlach (R-6) and Joe Sestak (D-7) threaten to run for Senate, state Representative Curt Schroder (R-Chester) eyes Gerlach’s seat, and Republican former U.S. Attorney Pat Meehan and state Representative Bryan Lentz (D-Delaware) consider Sestak’s seat.

The one thing you can be sure of is that all of this will change several tims before next Fall.…

June 1, 2009 at 11:06 am | Comments (0)

Schroder inches toward Congressional run

State Representative Curt Schroder (R-Chester) has filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission that will allow him to begin organizing a potential run for Congress next year, CQ Politics reports.

Schroder has been planning for months to seek Congressman Jim Gerlach’s (R-6) House seat if Gerlach pursues statewide office. Whether Schroder’s

May 28, 2009 at 7:09 pm | Comments (3)

Gerlach not on NRCC’s new protect-list

Congressman Jim Gerlach (R-6), who is seen as increasingly likely to vacate his seat and run for statewide office, is not included in a new National Republican Congressional Committee program to protect vulnerable House incumbents, Politico pTen incumbents so far are part of the NRCC’s Patriot Program, through which the Washington campaign committee will help fund Republicans trying to hold increasingly Democratic districts. Gerlach, whose 6th District seat has been…

May 19, 2009 at 10:01 am | Comments (0)

Curt Schroder aims to reinstate gambling industry campaign contribution ban

Last month, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned legislation that banned gambling industry insiders from making campaign contributions. The ruling addressed a semantic flaw in the legislation that had the effect of only excluding “large” contributions from being made, thereby making a complete ban untenable.

The ruling comes at a time when Philadelphians are fighting the city and the state to prevent the installation of two casinos. The fierce debate has mobilized people from all levels…

May 14, 2009 at 3:10 pm | Comments (0)