Posted on 05/09/2010 8:27:06 AM PDT by smoothsailing
May 9, 2010
Mike Faher
— This much is clear: William Russell is tenacious.
Just don’t call him “bitter.”
The Upper Yoder Township Republican, in his second attempt at winning the 12th Congressional District seat, is again getting no support from his party.
But while he makes no secret about his dissatisfaction with GOP leadership, Russell insists that it’s not anger that has motivated him to stay in the race.
“The best way to overcome this is not to be bitter, but to set about winning the primary,” Russell said.
The career Army man, now retired, moved to Johnstown to launch what some initially considered a quixotic run against powerful Democrat John Murtha in 2008.
But Russell’s campaign proved surprisingly strong, prompting Murtha to declare at one point late in the election season that he had been “blindsided” by the Republican.
Russell ended up with 42 percent of the vote despite the fact, he says, that he received no support from state GOP leadership and “very, very little” from the national Republican Party.
The night of his loss in November 2008, Russell immediately declared that he would run again.
Fellow Republican Tim Burns of Washington County also jumped into the race last year, setting up a primary battle.
But everything changed
Feb. 8, when Murtha died due to surgical complications. Little more than a month later, Burns was chosen as his party’s candidate for the May 18 special election that will decide who fills the remainder of Murtha’s unexpired term.
So it is Burns who is the sole GOP representative on the special ballot. It is Burns who is perceived to have a great advantage over Russell on the primary ballot.
And it is Burns who has become the party’s sole focus, much to Russell’s chagrin.
“People are very, very angry with our party leadership in terms of how the choice for the special election was made,” Russell said.
He maintains that there was pressure put on party leaders from the district’s nine counties to choose conferees who would vote for Burns at the March 11 meeting in Latrobe.
In fact, Russell goes so far as to say “there was a lot of coercion” – meaning direct pressure placed on the conferees who voted 85-46 to nominate Burns.
Johnstown businessman Rob Gleason, who chairs both the Cambria County and state Republican committees, dismisses those accusations.
“We had a very transparent, open process,” Gleason said. NOTE:More on that here
“(Russell) didn’t get enough votes to get the nomination. I don’t know of anybody who
was coerced.”
Gleason added that he is not “overly concerned” about a divided party, saying he believes Burns “has really turned out to be the ideal candidate for us.”
Russell does not buy that and has plunged ahead at full speed.
He says he has been campaigning for this seat since November 2007, “building relationships and loyalties with people.”
There is no doubt that his fundraising efforts have not faltered.
Russell blew away the other 12th district candidates by raising $737,365 in the first quarter, according to Federal Election Commission reports. He also far outpaced the others in spending, running through $638,394 while Burns spent only $57,574 in the same three-month period.
Russell says he has 60,000 donors nationwide and 5,000 in the 12th district, with most making small contributions averaging $75.
“It’s not the party apparatus, it’s not the (political action committees),” Russell said, “it’s not that I’m a millionaire who can put money into it.”
He added that his campaign has more than 1,000 volunteers in the district.
What those numbers will translate into on election day remains to be seen. Russell is a staunch conservative who says his military background has given him “a very good understanding of military-policy and national-security issues.”
He also believes his status as a GOP outsider could help him win votes.
“I’m the only candidate who has shown himself to be truly independent of the party leadership,” Russell said. “I will be accountable only to the voters.”
Exactly, that's the best thing to do. That way you know who's getting the money.
ping
Good one!
Ranger Tab says alot/
Just like Duncan Hunter.
It was fun! I had their call center guy sputtering. LOL!
It got my attention, and now that I've actually met him, it's got him my vote.
Good I look forward to another “suprise”/ The pudits just dont see this stuff comming.
BUMP
67,558 represents only the total number of votes cast by registered Republicans.
Your assessment is no doubt correct, but it doesn’t count. I am talking about how he is viewed amongst the political operatives of the RNC et al. That’s why he’s getting no support.
That has more to do with the Pennsylvania GOP Chairman than the RNC for a variety of reasons, but you are essentially correct.
I met Mr Russell and found him to be a great person. I would vote for him in a minute.
More here...
Major local paper in PA-12 endorses Bill Russell in Republican Primary
That’s not what this article said:
Special Election: Burns, Critz work to gain an Edge
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2509896/posts
It said, and I quote: “...the 2008 presidential vote was far from overwhelming on the Republican’s behalf: The final tally was 35,355 for McCain and 32,203 for Obama.”
That’s a total of 67,558 cast by Pubbies and Dems combined. I can’t believe that low of a vote count for a Presidential Election in a Congressional District. Must be a small District.
I see what you mean now.
At least 268,000 total votes were cast.
The link below will give you the totals for the 12th District Congressional Election.
http://edition.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/state/#PA
Now that you’ve pointed it out to me again, I know what happened. 35,355 should be 135,355 and 32,203 should be 132,203. The article left out the 1’s !!!
It really fooled me, I’m glad you mentioned it again. I would have gone through the rest of my life thinking half the Republicans who voted in my district in 2008 voted for Obama, What a bummer.
O.K., thanks so much for clarifying that for me.
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