Representative Joseph Pitts, PA-16 may have a primary challenge in 2006 from a fellow Republican. Pitts was elected in 1995 with a pledge of obeying the term limits included in the Contract With America. He agreed he would serve only ten years. He announced four years ago that he would break that Contract with the voters and people of the Sixteenth Congressional District.
According to the Lancaster Sunday News, this was partly the result of an agreement between Chester County resident Pitts and the Lancaster County Republican Party. The vast bulk of this District lies in Lancaster County, and the agreement was that Pitts' successor after ten years would be a Lancasterian.
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Because of Joe Pitts' radical, evangelical, right wing extremist politics, his successor may very well be from Lancaster County. It won't be Don Eberly, his erstwhile GOP opponent, though. Meet Democrat
Lois Herr, a tenth generation Lancasterian who is running once again and is raising much more money for her 2006 campaign than was available in 2004.
Democrats had written off this area for several election cycles, not even running a candidate. They ceded this race and allowed Pitts to embed himself to the extent he felt he could even break his covenant with the voters of the District. Herr ran last year after a late start into the race and ran credibly for the support and funds she had available. The DCCC gave her no support whatsoever.
Democracy for America did endorse her, in their third list of Dean Dozen candidates. This past fundraising quarter saw Lois raise almost half the money she had available for all of 2004. This will not be enough, though.
Joe Pitts is a beatable Congressman in 2006. He has the wreck of the Bush Administration hanging around his neck. They have had no more reliable shill in Congress than Joe Pitts. His zealous support for all things evangelical, blurring the boundaries of church and state, advocating the failed war in Iraq, and voting for terribly irresponsible Federal deficits paint a large target on his back.
Perhaps this is the real reason Don Eberly is considering a run against Pitts. A former White House advisor for President Bush, he also has this anchor around his neck. Lancaster, Chester, and Berks County voters will have a real choice in 2006 regardless of whether the Republicans run Pitts or Eberly. Lois Herr offers fiscal responsibility, support for women's rights, worker's rights, stem cell research, and a sane foreign policy. She is a Dean Democrat who needs your assistance to remind the voters in the PA-16 that Pitts has broken his contract with them.
He's the Pitts. Vote for Herr.