Republican businessman Tim Burns is jumping into Pennsylvania’s Senate race.
You may remember Burns from his bid against Democrat Mark Critz in a special election for the U.S. House seat once occupied by John Murtha. That bid fell short, with Burns winning 45 percent and Critz 52 percent; in a November rematch for the full two-year term, Burns came much closer, winning 49 percent to Critz’s 51 percent.
We are a nation at a crossroad, and we truly are at a time for choosing. Our current leadership has made their choice — more spending, more debt, and they’ve conceded America’s exceptional place in the world. That’s why today I am announcing that I am a candidate for the United States Senate.
President Obama and Senator Casey have made their choice for the future of America — more taxes, more spending, and more debt. Their choice has led to the highest unemployment in decades and a pessimism America hasn’t seen since Jimmy Carter.
Just the other day, President Obama admitted that “Americans are not better off than they were four years ago.” It’s obvious that his policies have not and will not get us out of this financial crisis. That’s why I was disappointed Senator Casey voted for the second round of wasteful stimulus proposed by President Obama. We deserve better.
We also deserve better than a Senator who has done more to help this failed President than to help the people of Pennsylvania. Senator Casey may be a good man, but he is not good for America and he’s not good for Pennsylvania.
Burns’s most significant rival in the GOP primary may be Col. (ret.) John Vernon, who’s been doing some polling:
Colonel John Vernon may be a new face on the political scene, but the results of an internal poll released today by his campaign show he has a profile that resonates with the GOP base.
National Research Inc., a Republican polling firm whose clients include New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, conducted a statewide poll for the Vernon for Senate 2012 Campaign Committee. The telephone survey was taken on September 19-20 and had a sampling of 500 likely PA voters. The full memo is below.
The results indicated that Democratic Senator Bob Casey is showing early signs of vulnerability. Casey’s favorability rating is 47 percent, his job approval rating is 46 percent, and his ballot score against a generic Republican is 46 percent — figures that are roughly in line with independent polling this year.