District 17 / Tim Holden (D)

Gilhooley Finds Tough Road in Holden Challenge

February 1st, 2008, posted by Greg Palmer

“I’m not a sacrificial lamb,” declared Toni Gilhooley as she walked around a Republican State Committee meeting last year.

Well, so far, the former Pennsylvania State Police trooper and lone Republican candidate to challenge U.S. Rep. Tim Holden, D-Schuylkill County, isn’t proving to be much of a cash cow either.

Through the end of 2007, Gilhooley’s campaign for the 17th Congressional District seat received a total of four itemized contributions, and two of them were from the candidate.  read more »

Despite Past Trends, 2008 Congressional Challengers are Not State Lawmakers

December 26th, 2007, posted by Greg Palmer

Pennsylvania’s 2008 congressional challengers share an unusual trait — they’re not state lawmakers.

In fact, few have any political experience at all. Among the state’s 19 congressional districts, less than a quarter of more than 15 declared challengers have been elected to any office.

Traditionally, Pennsylvania’s Capitol Hill candidates emerge from the state Legislature or another elected post. That started to change last year and the pace is quickening now.  read more »

Dent, Gerlach join region's Dems in backing expansion

September 26th, 2007, posted by LVDem

U.S. Reps. Charlie Dent, R-15th District, and Jim Gerlach, R-6th, endorsed a compromise expansion of the popular Children’s Health Insurance Program on Tuesday after opposing a far broader increase in the program in August.

Dent, R-15th District, and Gerlach, R-6th, joined the four Lehigh Valley area Democrats — Reps. Allyson Schwartz, 13th; Tim Holden, 17th; Paul Kanjorski, 11th; and Patrick Murphy, 8th — in supporting the measure.

For both Dent and Gerlach, removing the Medicare cuts appeared to be the deciding factor.

Lawmakers belly up to spending bills

August 7th, 2007, posted by LVDem

My own Congressman was the worst among Eastern PA’s Congressmen at “brining home the bacon.” That’s a campaign flier waiting to happen.

Lehigh Valley area lawmakers have included 115 pet projects valued at more than $104 million in the dozen spending bills that have passed the House, according to data compiled by the government watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense.

The requests and their sponsors are paired inside reports accompanying the annual congressional spending bills for the first time this year as Congress aims to shine a more public light on the spending process.  read more »

Holden Returns to Work After Medical Leave

June 15th, 2007, posted by Stanley

Now only Tim Holden’s political critics can say he’s lying down on the job.

Back at work this week after a week of R&R — that would be rest and recovery – from back surgery, we caught up with the Democratic congressman from Schuylkill County on Thursday to get a status report.

When we last touched base with Holden, he was “bored out of my mind” holed up in his St. Clair home reading books, watching movies and lots of sports.  read more »

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