Tim Burns of Murtha district buoyed by an electorate "exceptionally sour on national Democrats"

"'It wasn't difficult getting Speaker Gingrich to come here,' said [Timothy] Burns spokesman Tad Rupp. 'This is a national race. The entire country is paying attention to the race,'" reports the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review re Pennsylvania's District 12 race for the congressional seat long held by the late John Murtha. Newt keynotes a Thursday fundraiser, while Vice President Joe Biden will stump for Democrat contender Mark Critz Friday evening. Above, campaign photo of Tim Burns on the campaign trail. Click here ro contribute to Burns's Moneybomb.

Joe Biden is reported to have admitted the other day that he's campaigned for "some real turkeys" over the years. He'll be at it again this Friday, stumping for the late Rep. John Murtha's former district director Mark Critz in a face-off with Republican businessman Timothy Burns in the May 18 special election to fill Murtha's the People's Seat of Pennsylvania District 12. As newcomer Burns pulled ahead in the polls, Critz announced "his proud opposition to large segments of the Democratic agenda, including health care, reproductive choice and gun control." Gobble, gobble, gobble! Meanwhile the powers-that-be inside the Beltway were pulling out the big guns, but with a caveat. Here's why:

Buoyed by an electorate that is exceptionally sour on national Democrats, Republican Tim Burns has a 44-41 lead over Democrat Mark Critz in the special election to replace John Murtha in the House …

Tipping the balance in a race where each candidate is pretty well liked may be the way voters in the district feel about a number of key Democrats — Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Arlen Specter, and Ed Rendell are all exceptionally unpopular.

In the politics unusual of this off-year election, the Democrats' answer to local disgust with Washington is to hold high-dollar fundraisers with the likes of Pelosi in Washington and send Joe "This is a big fu**ing-deal!" Biden out to amuse the riffraff in the district Barack Obama once dismissed as a backwoods tribe of bitter losers who "cling to guns or religion … as a way to explain their frustrations." You want to know how they're going to explain their frustrations, Mr. President? Tune in at the end of the day after the polls close on May 18. As Tim Burns himself told Jim Geraghty the other day:

These Democrats are not afraid to vote for the candidate, not the party.

Even as the Democrats send in their clown, the Republicans will be represented by a man of rather more gravitas stumping for their candidate tomorrow evening:

Gingrich will headline a private fundraiser for Burns on Thursday.

Dick Armey's Freedom Works just threw in their support this afternoon, and our go-to source of all things Tim Burns on Twitter, Angela Lash reported earlier today that contributions are "pouring in, almost doubled in one day" during a week-long Moneybomb. The online fundraiser ends tomorrow at midnight on the eve of Biden's visit. We encourage our readers to chip in.

Crossposted at Liberty Pundits.

Comments

[goomp]

A great deal of the time people really don't give their full attention to politics, but when they do they are very apt to come up with an intelligent analysis. Tim should be the winner.

[Bellez8]

I pray your a true conservative. I also pray you are a man of your word. I pray God gives you wisdom & courage. I pray you don't sell your soul or the people who are counting on you out. Just remember your votes affect every American.