This article appeared in the Tribune-Democrat on November 9, 2008.  By Shawn Piatek, Tribune-Democrat Staff Writer. 

Business leaders in the region collectively held their breath Tuesday until about 10:30 p.m.

It was at that time that U.S. Rep. John Murtha stood before a collection of supporters at his downtown campaign office and claimed victory in his re-election bid. The Johnstown Democrat was unexpectedly challenged by his Republican opponent, William Russell, for the 12th Congressional District.

Murtha won the election with

58 percent of the vote.

Polls released just weeks before the election showed that the race was much closer than most would have expected – placing Russell’s chances within the margin of error.

“I just didn’t respond to it soon enough,” Murtha said Tuesday. “That won’t happen again.”

The close polls had some area business leaders contemplating what life without Murtha would be like. Some even offered apocalyptic predictions, saying that losing Murtha now would have a more negative impact on the local economy than the 1977 Flood.

Most of the region’s leadership does not agree that the situation would have been that dire. But they admit that his influence and leadership are irreplaceable.

“I think the local business and civic community understand that Mr. Murtha provides the momentum that will take us into the new century with high technology and a diversified economic base,” said Linda Thomson, president of Johnstown Area Regional Industries.

“Even though we have come a long way, there’s still a lot of work to be done. Without his leadership, it would be a lot tougher to get to where we need to be.”

Defining the destination or what most leaders feel needs to be achieved before Murtha ultimately vacates his office is difficult. One explanation of the target is the 12th district becoming economically strong enough on its own so that it becomes more important that the person who represents it.

Many think the region is close to achieving that goal and may have already partially arrived at the destination.

Bill Polacek, CEO of JWF Industries, felt it was such an important election that he penned a letter to the region and paid for advertising space on Election Day in order to share his thoughts.

Polacek noted several positive developments within the past six months that point to the current strength of the local defense industry, including the following:

n JWFI as a primary partner on a team selected as finalists in the pursuit of the Army’s $20 billion Joint Light Tactical Vehicle contract award.

n Italian defense giant Finmeccanica acquiring DRS Technologies and assuring Murtha it expects to place more business at its Laurel Technologies facility in Richland Township.

n Kongsberg Defense expanding with a manufacturing facility in Richland Township.

n Lockheed Martin relocating a supply chain business unit from South Carolina to Richland Township.

Polacek said the region is on the cusp of explosive growth.

He said that with Murtha set to continue chairing the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense and a Democratic president on his way to office, losing Murtha now would have been a mistake.

“It’s like we were sitting here with four aces and we weren’t sure if we were going to bet it all or fold,” Polacek said. “With that kind of a hand, why would you let the opportunity pass you by?”

Even more important than Murtha’s place in Congress is the impact he has had on the region’s business leaders, Polacek said.

The congressional earmarks for which Murtha is often criticized

– and he reiterated again on Friday he will never apologize for

– are only a very small piece of how the 34-year congressman benefits the region.

Ed Sheehan, president of Concurrent Technologies Corp. of Richland Township, agreed that Murtha’s greatest contribution to the region isn’t as simple as money.

“In my opinion, it would have been foolhardy to not have supported him,” Sheehan said.

“What I think a lot of people fail to understand is that it’s not so much the directed funding that makes him such a tremendous asset to our community. It’s the leadership and wealth of knowledge that he possesses and transfers to our community that makes him so important to our success.”

All of that said, there is a general consensus that some organizations in the 12th district would be in trouble without Murtha’s direct support.

That segment is said to represent a small minority of the district’s business community.

Those who are too dependent on earmark funds were aware of it well before this year’s congressional race. Murtha has been pressing the business community at large for years to wean itself off the support he can provide.

“I think all of the companies are aware that they need to diversify, they need to compete for contracts on their own merit and they need to look at what commercial opportunities may exist,” Thomson said.

“I don’t know how much of a wake-up call this election was. I think they already realize that they can’t rely on directed funding.

“But I can’t stress enough how small of a minority those types of companies represent in our region. The vast majority of our companies are competing for and winning contracts based upon their own merits.”