PA-12

Poll: GOPer Leads Race For Murtha Seat

Eric Kleefeld | April 30, 2010, 1:30PM

PA-12 House candidates Mark Critz (D) and Tim Burns (R)

The new Daily Kos/Research 2000 poll of the PA-12 special election gives Republican businessman Tim Burns the edge in the race for the House seat formerly held by the late Democratic Rep. John Murtha.

The numbers: Burns 46%, with Democratic candidate and former Murtha aide Mark Critz at 40%. The sample of likely voters has a ±4% margin of error. The Democrats have held this seat since 1974, when Murtha picked it up from the Republicans in a special election held in the midst of the Watergate scandals. The special election will be held on May 18. The TPM Poll Average gives Burns a lead of 43.0%-40.3%

Two key numbers: President Obama's favorable rating in this western Pennsylvania seat is only 38%, with an unfavorable rating of 55%. Respondents were also asked this question: "Would you be more likely to vote for a candidate who supports and will work to improve the new health care reform law, or a candidate who will work to repeal it completely?" The answer: candidate who supports the bill 34%, candidate who would repeal the bill 48%.

PA-12

DCCC Ad Attacks GOPer Burns On Jobs In Race For Murtha Seat (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | April 27, 2010, 6:40PM

PA-12 House candidates Mark Critz (D) and Tim Burns (R)

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has a new TV ad in the PA-12 special election, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Democratic Rep. John Murtha. The new ad depicts Republican businessman as somebody that voters can't trust -- alleging that he helped ship local jobs overseas.

"Millionaire Tim Burns sold his company -- sold it to a corporation that used a tax loophole, which encourages sending American jobs overseas," the announcer says. "Burns got rich, even though he knew there may be layoffs in Pittsburgh."

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Jobs

Biden Predicts 100K-200K Jobs Next Month

Eric Kleefeld | April 23, 2010, 6:19PM

Vice President Joe Biden

Vice President Biden predicted today that the economy will add between 100,000-200,000 jobs next month, and between 250,000-500,000 jobs per month in time thereafter.

Biden made his comments while campaigning for Mark Critz, the Democratic nominee in the May 18 special election for the House seat in Pennsylvania formerly held by the late Democratic Rep. John Murtha. "All in all we're going to be creating somewhere between 100 and 200,000 jobs next month, I predict," Biden said, according to the pool report from the Pittsburg Tribune-Review.

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PA-12

Gingrich And Biden To Campaign In Special Election For Murtha Seat

Eric Kleefeld | April 21, 2010, 10:08AM

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) and Vice President Joe Biden

Some big names are headed in to campaign in the special election for the Pennsylvania House district formerly held by the late Democratic Rep. John Murtha: Vice President Joe Biden for Democrat Mark Critz, and former Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) for Republican Tim Burns.

Gingrich will headline a private fundraiser for Burns on Thursday, with a ticket cost of $150 for the general reception and $4,800 for a VIP event. Biden will campaign for Critz on Thursday.

Two recent polls show a toss-up in the race, with a possible edge for Burns due to the unpopularity of President Obama in the district. However, it must also be noted that the special election will be held on May 18, the same day as the statewide primaries. There are more contested Democratic races than Republican ones that day, and this could potentially boost Democratic turnout for Critz.

PA-12

Polls: Toss-Up In Race For Murtha's Seat

Eric Kleefeld | April 20, 2010, 12:25PM

PA-12 House candidates Mark Critz (D) and Tim Burns (R)

Two new surveys show a toss-up result in the special election for the House seat in Pennsylvania formerly held by the late Democratic Rep. John Murtha, with a possible edge to the Republicans.

In a new survey from Public Policy Polling (D): Republican businessman Tim Burns 44%, Democratic nominee and former Murtha staffer Mark Critz 41%. Two key numbers form the internals are that President Obama's approval is only 33% in the district, with 57% disapproval, and likely voters also oppose the new health care reform law by a margin of 59%-28%. The Democrat Critz recently ran an ad declaring his own opposition to the health care bill.

"It's going to be somewhat amazing if Mark Critz wins this race given the way voters in his district feel about Barack Obama," writes PPP president Dean Debnam. "His low ratings are something a long time incumbent like Murtha might have been able to weather, but you wouldn't expect Democrats to win an open seat anywhere that gives Obama an approval rating under 40%. Still it remains a toss up with a month to go before the election."

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PA-12

Dem Candidate For Murtha's Seat Releases Ad Opposing Health Care Reform (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | April 19, 2010, 9:35AM

PA-12 House candidates Mark Critz (D) and Tim Burns (R)

Mark Critz, the Democratic nominee in the special election for the House seat of the late Rep. John Murtha (D-PA), has a message in his latest ad: He opposed the health care bill, and he is not a liberal.

In his new ad, Critz responds to an ad from the National Republican Congressional Committee, which attacked "liberals like Mark Critz" for passing the health care bill.

"That ad's not true," Critz says in his new TV spot. "I opposed the health care bill. And I'm pro-life, and pro-gun. That's not liberal."

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PA-12

GOP Ad Goes After Health Care Bill In PA-12 Special Election (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | April 12, 2010, 1:33PM

PA-12 House candidates Mark Critz (D) and Tim Burns (R)

The National Republican Congressional Committee is making the health care bill a bit issue in the upcoming May 18 special election for the Pennsylvania House seat formerly held by the late Democratic Rep. John Murtha, with a new TV ad attacking Dem nominee and ex-Murtha staffer Mark Critz.

"Americans said 'no' to government-run health care. But Congress and liberals like Mark Critz didn't listen," the announcer says. The phrasing makes it seem almost as if Critz is already the incumbent, though he was not in Congress for these votes. (Murtha voted for the House health care bill this past November, and there is no reason to think he would have voted otherwise on the final bill in March if he had not passed away in February.)

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