In five U.S. House races in our region, we make these endorsements for the Nov. 6 election:
• 3rd Congressional District: Mike Kelly. The first-term Republican incumbent is making quite the name for himself on Capitol Hill with his no-nonsense, straight-shooting demeanor. His floor speeches and questions in committee show he's a true man of the people.
The campaign of Democrat challenger Missa Eaton reads like the standard liberal talking points that left the nation in the mess it's in.
Mike Kelly has earned a second term.
• 9th Congressional District: Bill Shuster. The six-term Republican incumbent has been a steady and reasoned representative for more than a decade. This loyal and dedicated conservative is the perfect match for his district.
Challenger Karen Ramsburg, an “independent” who won the Democrats' nomination through a write-in campaign, has some good ideas. But those are overshadowed by a big bad one — she believes in man-made global warming. Next!
Bill Shuster is most worthy of a seventh term.
• 12th Congressional District: Either Keith Rothfus or Mark Critz. This is one of those rare instances in which either the Republican or the Democrat would be a perfectly acceptable choice. Mr. Rothfus, the Republican challenger, would serve the new, now slightly GOP district (a combination of the old 4th and the existing 12th) with energy, credibility and distinction. And Mr. Critz, the old 12th's incumbent who succeeded the late Jack Murtha, has done just that.
Thus, voters can't go wrong this cycle. A vote for either Keith Rothfus or Mark Critz would serve the district's best interests.
• 14th Congressional District: Hans Lessmann. It's time for a fresh face in this seat. Incumbent Democrat Mike Doyle has kept it warm for nearly 18 years. And four years into the Obama administration, he's still blaming the Bush administration for the nation's woes. (Or has he simply not updated his campaign website, which looks like a cut-and-paste job from prior years?) Enough of, as the Republican optometrist puts it, Mr. Doyle's government-knows-best policies. “The people know best,” Mr. Lessmann says. Yes they do.
Let's send Hans Lessmann to Capitol Hill on Nov. 6.
• 18th Congressional District: No endorsement. Longtime Republican incumbent Tim Murphy is being challenged by Washington County Democrat Commissioner Larry Maggi. Mr. Murphy always attempts to make a nice, conservative bed each election year, then turns down the covers and hops back in it with his union buddies shortly thereafter. You can't respect Murphy in the morning, so to speak.
Mr. Maggi could be the poster candidate for running a fill-in-the-blanks boilerplate liberal campaign. No thanks.
We can offer no endorsement in this race.
