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Published: April 12, 2008 10:52 pm
Iraq vet faces uphill battle in 12th Congressional District
BY MIKE FAHER
The Tribune-Democrat
In a sprawling 12th Congressional District that touches nine counties, William Russell is searching for 1,000 allies.
That’s the minimum number of Republican write-in votes Russell needs to score a “win” in the April 22 primary – a feat that would allow him to revive his campaign against U.S. Rep. John Murtha, D-Johnstown.
Russell was removed from the primary ballot because he did not gather enough petition signatures. But he believes he has mustered sufficient support for a comeback.
“I think, in a lot of ways, that the message is resonating,” Russell said.
Even if Russell earns enough write-in votes to be the official GOP nominee, he will face a formidable opponent in November.
Murtha, 75, is one of the most powerful Democrats in the House and has represented the 12th District since 1974.
The congressman is known for bringing home cash and jobs, and he said he is seeking another term “to continue the success we’ve had over the past decade.
“We must continue to attract good-paying jobs, continue to diversify our local economy, and we must change the direction of this war,” Murtha said in statement.
The Iraq War has become a defining issue for Murtha, who has criticized the Bush administration and called for a withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.
Murtha, who chairs the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, said the U.S. is spending $343 million daily in Iraq while neglecting domestic needs.
“This war is straining our military, destroying our international credibility and pushing our economy further and further into a recession,” he said.
Russell disagrees. The 45-year-old veteran of both Iraq wars has said he retired from military service and moved to Johnstown so that he could run against Murtha.
Last week, he participated in a press conference with other Iraq veterans running for Congress. They voiced support for Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq.
A troop withdrawal, Russell said, “would simply allow this enemy to follow us home.”
On the home front, Russell argues that the jobs Murtha brings to his district are temporary and will disappear when government money runs out.
“A lot of folks are realizing, we’ve got to do something different,” he said.
Peg Luksik, Russell’s campaign manager, said the candidate has had “no trouble recruiting folks who want to help” throughout the district.
“Elections are about choices,” Luksik said. “And with only one candidate, you don’t have a choice.”
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