Harrisburg, PA (WHTM) — The district lines for both congressional and general assembly seats are now settled and candidates are trying to settle in. But across the state, would-be politicians are assessing their chances for new seats with new boundaries as there are a lot of new faces adjusting to new places.
Normally a dead of winter chore, spring put a spring in the steps of candidates across the commonwealth. This is where the rubber, quite literally meets the road.
14-year incumbent Sheryl Delozier’s (R-Cumberland) seat shifted to new areas that she now has to meet. “Which actually is confusing for a lot of people because they don’t understand, ‘wait, I just voted for so and so,’” Delozier said.
“More people are home now because they’re working from home but less people come to the door because they think I’m the Amazon guy,” State Rep. Greg Rothman (R) said. He is now running for a newly re-drawn State Senate seat covering nearly all of Cumberland, all of Perry, and part of Dauphin Counties. It is a safe Republican seat. But safe for who?
“I know I am a better candidate than Greg Rothman,” Mike Gossert (R) said. He is a former Hampden Township Manager and is on the Cumberland Valley School Board. He concedes Rothman has more political connections, endorsements, and money. But… “I can beat him on the issues. I think the residents of this community know me. I think they know what I’ve done for this community. They know my track record of servant leadership.”
“I think democracy functions best when you have competition the voters deserve a choice,” Rothman said.
But the map makers may have deprived voters of a choice. Delozier, who endorsed Rothman, is the only sitting Cumberland County State Rep. drawn out of that new senate seat. “I am not in it. I cannot run for that seat but you might have to run? Oh sure. Never say no,” Delozier said.
But will candidates say no to going negative? That remains to be seen but battle lines are being drawn and the Republican on Republican scrap is about to begin.
“When you have a challenger within your own party, it’s like any family. We’re gonna fight for a while and May 17th, we’re gonna have a victor and then May 18 move on to the general election and stand behind the candidate,” Delozier said.
State House candidates need 300 signatures to get on the ballot. It’s 500 for the State Senate. The primary is May 17.
Read full article here.
by: Ben Schad, Dennis Owens
Posted: Mar 21, 2022 / 05:57 PM EDT
Updated: Mar 21, 2022 / 05:57 PM EDT