GOP's Turzai Ponders Bid for Western Pennsylvania Seat

By Greg Giroux | September 30, 2009 4:10 PM | | Comments (0)

Democratic Rep. Jason Altmire this week drew his first Republican challenger for the 2010 campaign. And that candidate, lawyer Keith J. Rothfus, may soon have company for the GOP primary next May.

Republican state Rep. Mike Turzai told CQ Politics Wednesday that he's considering a bid to challenge Altmire, a two-term incumbent, in the western Pennsylvania's 4th District. It would be a return to House politics for Turzai, who lost the 1998 race in the 4th District to then-Democratic incumbent Ron Klink.

Turzai, however, emphasized that he's concentrating for the time being on trying to end a budget impasse in Harrisburg, the state capital. Turzai, who is his party's state House whip, and his GOP colleagues are resisting proposals to increase taxes.

"I have a job to do on behalf of my constituents and the citizens of Pennsylvania," Turzai said. "Until that budget battle settles, I'm just really not going to make any decisions up until then."

Turzai said he is getting encouragement to run from Republican officials in Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.

When Turzai, a lawyer and former prosecutor, was the 1998 Republican nominee in the 4th District, it had a slightly different shape and slightly more Democratic leanings. He took 36 percent of the vote against Democrat Klink.

Just two years later, though, Republican Melissa A. Hart won an open-seat race to succeed Klink and held it until she was unseated by Altmire in 2006. Hart tried a comeback in 2008, but Altmire won the rematch decisively.

Turzai, meanwhile, rebounded to win election to the state House in 2001 and was re-elected four times in a district that includes part of Allegheny County. He won 74 percent of the vote in the 2008 election.

CQ Politics presently rates the Pennsylvania 4 race as Democrat Favored.

To follow the 2010 House races, check out the CQ Politics election map.

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Categories: House, Pennsylvania

Tags: Altmire, House, Pennsylvania, Rothfus, Turzai

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