Presidential Campaigns Groom In-State Voices

Both Republican and Democrat national campaign teams are developing articulate Pennsylvania political leaders as spokespersons for day-to-day press events, in what will be a key swing state in the November 2012 presidential election.

CONGRESS MEMBERS Allyson Schwartz and Lou Barletta are emerging as key spokespersons for Barack Obama and Mitt Romney campaigns respectively in Penna.

Last Friday, Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz (D-Phila.) was tapped for an Obama for America press conference call to discuss Mitt Romney’s economic philosophy, “his failed economic record in Massachusetts and why he’s the wrong choice for Pennsylvania.” In recent weeks, Schwartz has surfaced repeatedly at Pennsylvania press events that have been presenting national issues for in-state audiences.

“Looking at his record in Massachusetts as Governor, we can see how he would take his private sector experience to the Federal Government. Running for Governor he promised that he would create more jobs, there would be less debt and smaller government, but that actually didn’t work. The actions that he took in fact lead to opposite outcomes,” said Schwartz.

Schwartz was joined by State Rep. Eugene DePasquale (D-York) in this conference call. While not a statewide name yet, DePasquale is running for Auditor General in the fall and is expected to be able to carry water for Democratic campaigns. “We can’t afford to let Romney do to America what he did to Massachusetts. While Romney Economics promises more outsourcing, loopholes and risky financial deals, that’s exactly the opposite of what President Obama believes,” said DePasquale Friday. “He believes we need a job-creating economy built to last – one where we grow the economy from the middle out, not the top down, and where hard work pays off, responsibility is rewarded, and everyone from Main Street to Wall Street does their fair share.”

Schwartz is well known in the crucial Montgomery Co. suburbs, where Obama must runs strongly if he is to take the Keystone State.

Monday morning, the Romney campaign struck back with a conference call featuring Congressman Lou Barletta (R-Luzerne), a dynamic campaigner who drew national attention for his anti-illegal-alien stance as Mayor of Hazleton. Barletta was packaged with two small-business owners to develop the theme President Barack Obama’s policies have been harmful to “job creators”.

Suppressing the Democrat vote in Barletta’s Wyoming Valley home turf is important in enhancing Romney’s chances to take the state.

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