This article appeared in the Observer-Reporter on November 5, 2008. By Barbara S. Miller, Observer-Reporter Staff Writer.
Murtha an easy winner
Thirty-four-year Congressman John Murtha pulled out a victory Tuesday night against a Republican seeking elected office for the first time.
With the majority of precincts in eight counties reporting, William Russell fell short in his bid to unseat the powerful Murtha. The unofficial tally was 127,934 for Murtha to 91,303 for Russell throughout the nine-county district, with precincts yet to be counted.
Greene is the only county that lies entirely within the 12th Congressional District, and in the county, Murtha polled 7,917 to Russell's 7,073 with all precincts counted.
"I enjoy every minute of it," Murtha said Tuesday night, addressing reporters who were part of a conference call and supporters gathered in his Johnstown headquarters. "The people in this congressional district keep sendin' me back regardless of what I say."
The Democratic congressman was at that point projecting a 58-to-42-percent victory over Russell, with whom he had not spoken election night.
The 76-year-old Murtha found himself on the defensive after describing his area of Western Pennsylvania as racist, apologizing for the remark, then telling another interviewer that the region had been "really redneck" in years past.
This drew national attention and was lampooned on NBC'S "Saturday Night Live" Oct. 25, with comedian Darrell Hammond impersonating Murtha.
Although Russell's Republican nominating petitions were bounced because they lacked the required number of valid signatures, he mounted a write-in campaign in April, notifying Republicans through direct mail.
He received enough write-in votes to revive his candidacy, plugging away over the summer until Murtha handed him some issues in the fall.
Murtha is a decorated Vietnam veteran who has been one of his party's most outspoken critics of the Iraq war and is well known, as a top member of the House Appropriations Committee, for his ability to bring home millions of dollars of federal money for pet projects.
The National Republican Congressional Committee featured Murtha's comments in more than $400,000 worth of television ads.
But the Democrat turned on the money spigots, unleashing a host of broadcast and print advertisements costing hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Murtha personally thanked former President Bill Clinton, who campaigned Monday on Murtha's behalf in Johnstown, just a few days after a joint appearance at Washington & Jefferson College, citing Murtha's ability to bring home the bacon to an area that has never been the same since the decline of the steel industry.
As of mid-October, the challenger had raised $2,861,173, outpacing Murtha's $2,170,354.
"I appreciate all the hard work," Murtha said Tuesday night, punctuated by cheers from supporters. "We had hundreds of people out there working. We knew. We could see it changing day by day. I got criticized about a lot of different things. I just didn't respond to it soon enough."
Murtha toured a steel mill and held a smaller rally with steelworkers in Latrobe. He emphasized the jobs and billions of dollars he's brought home.
"They kick the hell out of me all the time because I'm for earmarks, because I'm for taking care of the people I represent," said Murtha, who chairs the House defense appropriations subcommittee.
Russell, a retired Army lieutenant colonel who moved to Johnstown to run against Murtha, said the earmarks have created an unhealthy dependence on federal money.
The district has heavy Democratic registration, and Murtha has a long history of handily winning his races by double-digit margins.
"They call 'em earmarks. The reason we have 20,000 jobs in this district is because of the earmarks. I don't apologize a bit for what we do," he said.
Murtha also said he's looking forward to working with President Barack Obama.
Russell could not immediately be reached for comment late Tuesday night.
In 2006, Washington County Commissioner Diana L. Irey lost to Murtha in the 12th Congressional District. Spurring her run was Murtha's call in late 2005 for an immediate U.S. withdrawal from Iraq.
12th District
Tim Murphy, 56, of Upper St. Clair, won a fourth, two-year term by besting Democratic challenger Steve O'Donnell, 62, of Monroeville.
Red-and-white signs reading "Tim Murphy Republican" began cropping up next to Murphy's campaign signs last week, but that may have actually helped him rather than hurt him.
Both Washington and Westmoreland counties went for Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, but Murphy also carried Allegheny County, where Sen. Barack Obama won.
Murphy's opponent said in an interview late last month that Murphy was downplaying his party affiliation.
Murphy had vastly more resources O'Donnell. The incumbent congressman had $1.6 million in campaign receipts and no debt through Oct. 15. He had $798,113 in cash on hand, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission.
O'Donnell, meanwhile, had raised just $503,096 during the same time period and spent $429,826. O'Donnell also reported $212,990 in debt. He had just $73,270 cash on hand for his final electioneering push.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.