Somerset Dems back Critz

At least one county party is supporting Mark Critz as the successor to his late boss John Murtha.

The Somerset County Democratic Committee endorsed Critz, Murtha’s former district director, as their choice in the special election to finish out Murtha’s term, The Daily American …

March 3, 2010 at 2:02 pm | Comments (4)

Former Knox aide starting up Hafer’s campaign; Trippi doing media

As she gears up for a run to succeed the late Congressman John Murtha (D-12), Barbara Hafer is leaning on someone she describes as an old friend to get her campaign up and running: Philadelphia-based political operative Josh Morrow.

Morrow, who most recently managed Democrat Tom Knox’s gubernatorial campaign, is serving as a sort-of acting campaign manager while Hafer builds a more permanent staff. She has also retained prominent Democratic strategist Joe Trippi to handle …

March 2, 2010 at 3:33 pm | Comments (9)

Allegheny controller endorses Hafer

With her main opponent rolling out endorsements from major political figures in the 12th Congressional District, former state treasurer and auditor general Barbara Hafer announced her first formal backer in the race Tuesday.

Hafer was endorsed by Allegheny County Controller Mark Flaherty.

“I know Barbara Hafer, and more importantly the voters of our district know her,” Flaherty said in a statement. “She has been through the process already and she has been vetted and approved …

March 2, 2010 at 10:18 am | Comments (6)

Singel endorses Critz for Murtha’s seat

Former Lieutenant Governor Mark Singel endorsed Mark Critz in the 12th Congressional District Saturday, giving the longtime aide to the late Congressman John Murtha yet another high-profile backer as he nears a showdown with Barbara Hafer.

Singel’s endorsement came just two days after he withdrew from the race, citing the need for party unity to hold the western Pennsylvania seat.

“This election is far too important for us not to be united behind one …

February 28, 2010 at 11:24 am | Comments (2)

Singel drops out of 12th District race (Updated)

Less than a week after …

February 25, 2010 at 6:08 pm | Comments (9)

Joyce Murtha endorses Critz

In the race to succeed Congressman John Murtha (D-12), Joyce Murtha has decided who she’d like to see follow her late husband.

Murtha has endorsed Mark Critz, a longtime aide to her husband who was most recently his district director. Combined with the endorsement of wealthy businessman Mark Pasquerilla, her backing indicates that John Murtha’s staunchest allies appear to be lining up behind Critz, who p“After reviewing all the candidates running for this seat, it is clear to me that the most qualified and knowledgeable candidate in the field is Mark Critz,” Joyce Murtha, who will be an honorary of Critz’s campaign, said in a statement early Thursday morning. “Over the past decade, Jack grew to rely on Mark’s expertise and knowledge of the district, both on the governmental and political side of the job. Mark has always displayed the utmost professionalism and concern for constituents, and it is for this reason that I am declaring my full endorsement of his candidacy”/p
pEarlier in the week, Pasquerilla, a registered Republican who was a Murtha supporter, a href="http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/eyeon2010/2010/02/pasquerilla-endorses-murtha-st.html" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://blogs.cqpolitics.com']);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.cqpolitics.com%2Feyeon2010%2F2010%2F02%2Fpasquerilla-endorses-murtha-st.html','told+CQ+Politics')" target="_blank"told emCQ Politics/em/a that “I’m going to stand with Mark because I think he’s the best legacy candidate.”/p
pAnd Ed Mitchell, a longtime friend and political aide to Murtha, a href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0210/33389.html" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://www.politico.com']);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fwww.politico.com%2Fnews%2Fstories%2F0210%2F33389.html','told+Politico')" target="_blank">told Politico that Critz’s knowledge of the district is key.…

February 25, 2010 at 10:00 am | Comments (2)

Musings on Murtha—and the political etiquette of death

As a constituent of the long-serving Congressman John Murtha (D-12), I was both shocked and saddened by his recent death.

My colleague here at pa2010.com, Michael Livingston, was probably right when he pThat being said, and with the understanding that the arena of politics can be a cruel environment where the familiar mantra of “the show must go on” takes on a whole new meaning, I was a bit surprised, and put off, by the behavior of some of those considering or announcing a run to fill Murtha’s office./p
pBarbara Hafer a href="http://www.pa2010.com/2010/02/exclusive-hafer-running-to-succeed-murtha/" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://www.pa2010.com']);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pa2010.com%2F2010%2F02%2Fexclusive-hafer-running-to-succeed-murtha%2F','announced+her+candidacy')" target="_blank"announced her candidacy /athe day embefore/em Murtha’s funeral. And two days later brought a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10049/1036855-100.stm" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://www.post-gazette.com']);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fwww.post-gazette.com%2Fpg%2F10049%2F1036855-100.stm','news')" target="_blank">news that Mark Singel had already scheduled a press conference to announce his. Ryan Bucchianeri responded to news of Murtha’s death with a …

February 24, 2010 at 10:34 am | Comments (6)

Critz: ‘I kept my aspirations private’

The former district director for the late Congressman John Murtha officially launched a campaign to replace his old boss Monday night—and did so with a pointed jab at his opponents for making their intentions known so soon after Murtha’s death.

Mark Critz said in a statement that he resigned as district director earlier in the day, and that he was seeking the Democratic nod both in the special election to finish out Murtha’s term and …

February 23, 2010 at 10:00 am | Comments (4)

12th District notes: Joyce Murtha out, Critz and Cernic in (Updated)

A few more 12th District pieces came into focus Monday.

The Fix pMeanwhile, emCQ Politics/em a href="http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/eyeon2010/2010/02/top-murtha-staffer-likely-to-r.html" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://blogs.cqpolitics.com']);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.cqpolitics.com%2Feyeon2010%2F2010%2F02%2Ftop-murtha-staffer-likely-to-r.html','reports')" target="_blank"reports/a that Murtha’s district director Mark Critz will soon enter the race, adding a candidate intimately familiar with the district into the mix. Former Cambria County Controller Albert Penska also might run./p
pAnd emThe Tribune-Democrat/em a href="http://www.tribune-democrat.com/local/local_story_053104525.html?keyword=topstory" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://www.tribune-democrat.com']);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tribune-democrat.com%2Flocal%2Flocal_story_053104525.html%3Fkeyword%3Dtopstory','reports')" target="_blank">reports that Cambria County Controller Ed Cernic Jr., who had been considering a run, is good to go, having announced his candidacy Monday morning.

With only a couple Republicans definitely running, the Democratic side of the ballot is shaping up to be to be a much more crowded affair—at least five Democrats have said they’re in the race.

UPDATE: In a statement Monday …

February 22, 2010 at 3:00 pm | Comments (9)