Elk County coroner and resident of Saint Marys, Lou Radkowski announced on Friday that he too was interested in the Pennsylvania 5th Congressional District seat, soon to be vacated by John Peterson.
I am just floored by the level of interest in this Congressional seat.
The only thing I can conclude is that, like the Presidential race, the GOP contenders don’t like any of the options that have thus far been presented. I wonder how many other “valid” contenders from the GOP will enter from areas apart from the greater Centre region? The more of them that enter the race for the nomination, the more likely it becomes that one of the group from Centre or Clearfield have a shot at winning. Anything that further divides the more rural vote will work well for the guys in and around the dense population of Centre County.
Unfortunately, that could give Matt Shaner, and the Shaner money just the edge he needs to gather votes. He certainly has the resources to launch a comprehensive bid in this huge district. The question will then become if he has the broad appeal to gather the approval of voters? I think that is a very big “if” for his candidacy. Especially as the state so resoundingly sent his inspiration, Rick Santorum, packing in the last major cycle. Shaner is Santorum light. So he offers the crazy right wing normal horse and pony show, but adds to that some very questionable intentions by way of his family. He is part of an oil and real estate dynasty in the Centre region. To say they have deep pockets and political ambitions that are very far from the common man, I think would be right on point.
Moreover, irrespective of his connections, I can’t see any reason to trust this college drop out, that sees it as appropriate to call the local DA when he is nearly busted for DUI. A claim (DUI) he denied at the time of the event, and only recently admits to it being true. Now he wants forgiveness for this missed step.
I am not sure the simply saying that recent event should be forgotten, is enough to make it go away in the eyes of the public. Maybe he should start by staying out of the local bars. Seems he is a regular, and a sloppy one at that, in Pickles.
‘‘I was in a condition where I shouldn’t have been driving my car, and I handled the situation very poorly afterward,’‘ he said. ‘‘It was probably the biggest mistake of my life.’‘
Does Shaner think that no one sees him?
His conduct as a citizen that wants to be a public servant leaves much to be desired in my opinion.
Shaner isn't the one to worry about....
It’s preppy boy Derek Walker. Shaner may be Santorium lite but Walker IS Santorium.
The Walker family has more behind the scenes connections than you know. Grandpa and Daddy are close friends with the Bush family, Tom Ridge, Santorium, the Shusters, the Cormans and Scarnati. Expect the backroom deals are already being cut, the Centre County 6 will split up the votes there and, unless Stroup comes through in west and north, the pretty boy will emerge. The Dems have to come up with someone who will expose all D Dubya’s flaws and sins (and there are many).
Who is Santorium? I
Who is Santorium? I don’t know anyone by that name with any political connections.
voter reg
The CDT today says that registered Republicans outnumber registered Democrats by 45,000 in the 5th. Any Republican will be hard to beat.
Make it an even dozen
One more Democrat will be announcing today. ( Sorry Gary it won’t be Don Hilliard ) This candidate can give the Republicans a run for all their money.
Who is it?
If he’s announcing today and is that viable, what’s the big secret?! Share! :-)
Yeah...Seriously...Hit me with it!
I am dying to know!
Rumor has it....
That Mike Hanna might jump in at the last minute…
Anyone else hear this?
He could probably give the Reps a run for their money.
Hanna Rumor
Hanna will not run, but will have a horse in the race.
You liberal screws have
You liberal screws have some kind of ax to grind with the Walker Family? They have done more for their community in the last ten minutes than any of you posters have in your lifetimes in aggregate. Walker will win this seat because people will see he is the real deal. This young man has the potential to be president. Hanna? You’re kidding, right?
I do not think Walker will
I do not think Walker will win because he is currently under investigation in Clearfield for entering a young school teachers house and hidding in her closet and taking photos of her in bed with her boyfriend. This is considered a felony. To verify this accusation call the Clearfield Boro Police or the DA’s office or ask him directly which I think the press should do. I think the people of the 5th district want someone regardless of party affiliation who has integrity. If you research this young man you can see it is lacking. I light of the Gov. Spitzer ordeal lets send integrity to D.C.
walker
Is this another case of a person with wealthy parents being able to avoid prosecution because of who he is? I really hope that is not the case.
walker
The potential to be president??? Are you kidding me? Just what we need in the White House…or are you suggesting his parents can buy him im?
Walker investigation
I think the press ought to ask Walker about those allegations — and our newspaper will. But I’m not at all sure we ought to publish anything:
1. No charges filed. 2. He had been given a key, the woman is reportedly an ex-girl-friend (no unlawful entry?) 3. You’re spreading misinformation. No felony that I know of. 4. We say all the time, “Personal business ought to be private,” but we jump on salacious stuff.
If/when charges are filed, then I think we might have something. Other’n that, we have a thing between lovers/ex/lovers, he said/she said.
Denny Bonavita, Publisher
Courier-Express, DuBois
walker investigation
In response to #2…Even if he did have a key, one should not use it after the relationship is over to hide and take pictures of a former girlfriend. Perhaps the police didn’t investigate because of who he is not whether or not the allegations may be true.
Wealthy Candidates
All I have to say is that the last thing we need in Washington is another Congressman that is a muti-millionaire who has no idea how the lower and middle classes live. Stroehmann, Richardson, Walker and Shaner were all born into money and are just more millionaires that would want to make the Bush tax cuts for the wealth permanent. The Republican party has been hijacked by the wealthy and has to return to it’s roots.
Shaner left the scene of an accident when he was drunk and then tried to use his wealth and influence to get charges dropped. There are allegations that Walker is a peeping tom, and Stroehman rides on his family’s wealth. Come on these guys are in no position to represent the people of this district.
In addition it has been estimated that Shaner and Walker will spend over $750,000 on this campaign. Way more than they will make in term. We need to stop letting elections being bought buy the rich.
wealthy candidates
I have to agree with you. Unfortunately for me, if anyone in my family gets into trouble, they are on their own as I do not have the resources to buy them out of their problems. Maybe these men should have thought about what they were doing before they did it and then there would be no reason to address it here.
Never has this been more true...
...because so many politicians see “public service” as a career track, not as something they really want to do. They know that, even after a term or two, they will be able to make tons of money lobbying their former buddies in Congress. For these guys, Congress is like Q-School; they go there only so that they can get into the real money on the Professional Lobbyist Tour.
Pilt
Over a Million
As of March 28, Shaner has filed with the FEC that he has spent $1.2 Million on his campaign to date.
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