Republican Candidate Feels at Home (Erie, PA, Challenger Announces Bid for Dem Seat)

Erie Times-News ^ | January 1, 2006 | Tim Hahn (tim.hahn@timesnews.com)

[Gondring]

Christine E. Pontoriero stood on the staircase that she tried to climb as a teenager without waking her sleeping parents, and surveyed a few dozen people who stood on the blue carpet of an otherwise empty living room.

The two-story, tan-brick house at 3507 Old French Road had been home to Pontoriero's family for 45 years. But it's up for sale because her mother is in an assisted-living facility and money is needed to continue her care, Pontoriero said.

Pontoriero used the house and its current status as a backdrop Saturday morning in announcing her intention to run for the 1st District seat in the state House of Representatives.

[...]

Pontoriero, 61, a Republican, will challenge Democratic incumbent Linda Bebko-Jones, 59, who is seeking a seventh term in the state House.

The race for Bebko-Jones' seat could prove to be a crowded one. Democrat Pat Harkins has already announced his campaign for the 1st District spot. Several others . . . said they are considering it.

Many state House incumbents are expected to face competition in their re-election bids this year because of a vote by legislators in July that raised their salaries. Bebko-Jones was among those who voted for the raise and who took the raise early in the form of unvouchered expenses.

[...]

Pontoriero . . . said she was running for three reasons: to improve the health-care system and lessen its financial burden on people like her mother; to work to develop jobs in the region; and to ensure that current and future jobs in the area can sustain people.

[...]

Pontoriero asked the people who gathered in her mother's home Saturday to help her in spreading the word about her campaign. [...]

[Gondring]

Lots had to be snipped from the article because of excerpting rules. She also announced the opening of a website: www.votechristine.com

Can a Republican win in a blue-collar town/district like Erie?

[CPOSharky]

... a few dozen people who stood on the blue carpet of an otherwise empty living room.

If a "few dozen" didn't fill up the living room, it must be a huge room.

Any hint of bias?

[Long Distance Rider]

"Linda Bebko-Jones, 59, who is seeking a seventh term in the state House."

I don't care if we are talking 2 year or 4 year terms, SEVEN (7) terms is too damn long. Dadgumit, it ain't supposed to be a career.
We now have politicians in Washington and mostof the state capitals (thank God, some have term limits) that have never held any job except elected positions. 230 years after 1775 we now have professional politicians. A separate ruling class. I would suspect that Adams, Madison and the the others are spinning in their graves. Heaven help us.

[Gondring]

I'm guessing it refers to all the furnishings having been removed. I don't know; I'm on the opposite end of the state and wasn't there.

[Gondring]

The problem is, the electorate keeps doing this!

[ClaireSolt]

If she wants jobs, she should start a company, not run for office.

[Gondring]

If she wants jobs, she should start a company, not run for office.

She previously owned a company. I spoke with her years ago and I'm pretty sure that part of the reason for her running is that she's aware of all the governmental drag on businesses.