Posted on 11/04/2006 5:58:07 AM PST by smoothsailing
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 4, 2006
Irey heads into campaign home stretch
By DAN DiPAOLO
Daily American
RICHLAND TOWNSHIP - District 12 congressional challenger Diana Irey picked absently at a small mustard stain on the sleeve of a smart blue blouse. Around her, red-white and blue balloons, campaign music and the general bustle of the campaign carried on.
She is in her final week of a long campaign against incumbent U.S. Rep. John Murtha and her vigorous candidacy has brought national attention to the race, as both Republicans and Democrats have called it a microcosm of the larger struggle for political control in the country.
Her support of the Iraq war, pro-life and family values platform mirrors the Republican effort to restore a fundamentally conservative aspect to the party perception before the Nov. 7 election.
As she allowed herself to relax into a seat after addressing more than 300 people crowded into the Richland Township Fire Department's social hall, she seemed to shrink a bit. Already a small woman, she seems larger when addressing crowds, as her animated gestures and strong demeanor convey a larger sense of presence.
“I didn't know when I entered the race that so many people from all over the country would get involved,” she said.
Unheralded outside of Washington County, where she has served as a county commissioner for the last 10 years, her campaign gained momentum as her attacks on Murtha coincided with the incumbent's increasingly vocal stance against the war in Iraq.
Although she is still behind in the majority of the public polls, she is reminded of her first campaign.
In 1995, she came up against another powerful incumbent Democrat in Commissioner Metro Petrosky Jr.
“I can see a lot of that in this race,” she said. At the time, Petrosky was battling public accusations that claimed he was charging taxpayers for thousands of dollars in personal telephone calls, according to previously published news articles.
In 1994, after an eight-month legal battle, newspapers obtained his itemized bills and detailed thousands of dollars of personal calls he had made, at taxpayer expense, on his office phone and county-owned cellular phone.
It is reminiscent of the charges her campaign has made against John Murtha's role in the 1980 ABSCAM investigation, in which five members of the House of Representatives were convicted of bribery and conspiracy.
But those ABSCAM charges, despite recent Irey television and radio ads replaying video footage of the sting, “happened 25 years ago. The voters have known about them long enough to re-elect him how many times?” asked Ed Mitchell, a Murtha press spokesman.
Still, the Irey campaign is looking for any wedge to slip a vote out from under an almost two-to-one registration advantage Democrats in the district hold over Republicans.
Armed with more than 900 volunteers, she said, she still believes she can win the race against an incumbent and time as the deadline closes.
It will continue to be a struggle, as some estimates show that she could swing more than 50,000 votes from the Democratic side of the district and still lose.
Additionally, the Republican has struggled with financing, showing only $194,000 in campaign contribution records as of last week, although she said that number has sky-rocketed thanks to an Internet fundraiser.
“We've raised more than $90,000,” she said of the push to beat $100,000 in the last week.
Murtha's own records show that he has more than more than $964,000 on hand, despite not turning to television for this campaign.
As the conversation continued and she reflected on the hard run and the many good memories, she began to refer more often to her faith and her family.
She said that ultimately all she could do is continue to work hard, get the message out and leave the rest to a higher power.
If the campaign would turn away from attacking Murtha and focus on her for a moment, she would like people to see her “as the candidate with heart.”
Still with a bit of mustard on her sleeve, the price of too many campaign events serving hot dogs, cookies and stand up meals in these final days, she said it has been a great experience.
“I have made some many wonderful friendships and I have enjoyed it all. If there's one thing this race has shown me, it's how many good people there are in this area,” she said.
(Dan DiPaolo can be contacted at dand@dailyamerican.com.)
You are so Lucky to have a chance to "Boot Murtha"......If someone does a IREY lawn sign on their lawn with leaves; post a picture please!!!..........Suggestion: Use an 8 foot ladder for a better view.........We don't get leaves until January here in Phoenix...
Getting down now, Hildy. Thank you.
Whatever happens Ms. Irey, you did the best you could! You were extraordinary. Here's hoping the good people of Pennsylvania recognize a fine American lady and turn the creepy anti-American Murtha out.
The countdown is on. This mid term election sure is a critical one. And I hope enough republicans and independents realize just how important it is and take the time to go to their polling place this coming Tuesday.
They will!..... And Diana Irey will WIN BIG TIME!.......Thank You Lord!!........
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