By Alex Roarty
PoliticsPA Staff Writer
roarty@politicspa.com
State Senator Dave Argall will announce he’s running against U.S. Rep. Tim Holden (D) next Monday, multiple sources tell PoliticsPA, setting up what will be one of the state’s most closely watched races this year.
The announcement will occur about 6 p.m. at the Tamaqua Railroad Station in Schuylkill County, according to Bob Ames, chairman of the Schuylkill County Republican Committee. Another independent source close to Argall, who wished to remain anonymous, confirmed the time, place and nature of the announcement. The source added that after the event in Schuylkill County, Argall on Monday will visit each of the 17th Congressional District’s other four counties to hold similar kick-off rallies.
The district comprises all or parts of Schuylkill, Dauphin, Berks, Lebanon and Perry counties.
Speculation about Argall challenging the 17th District incumbent has swirled for months, with the senator first denying the rumor but later telling reporters in mid-December he would make a decision in a few weeks.
Some Republicans in the district consider Argall the one member of their party who can knock off the longtime incumbent Holden, a Democrat who has been able to easily retain his seat despite the area’s slight conservative tilt. The district voted in favor of GOP Presidential candidate John McCain in 2008 by three percentage points while Holden won re-election by nearly 30 points.
The strength of Argall’s candidacy against Holden, Republicans argue, lies in his Schuylkill County roots. The area, despite its conservative makeup, usually gives Holden three-quarters of its votes because of the congressman’s strong ties to it. He was county sheriff from 1985 to 1992.
But Argall is a longtime lawmaker from the county, first as a representative then senator, leading Republicans to speculate he can claim nearly half of its votes. Holden can’t maintain his seat without a big margin of victory in Schuylkill County, they say, because other areas, like Berks, Lebanon and Perry counties, are heavily conservative.
The “Blue Dog” Holden, however, is considered by many Democrats to be an entrenched incumbent impervious to most challenges. The congressman routinely cruises to re-election victory because of his moderate voting record and strong relationships with local officials, they say.
In a vote that will prove significant during the campaign, Holden voted against the Democratic Party’s health care plan in November. He has not indicated whether he will support a revised edition of the health care bill, which House members could vote on soon.
Republican Josh First, a Harrisburg resident, has already declared he will seek the GOP nomination in the district.
Tags: Dave Argall, Dave Argall for Congress, Josh First, Tim Holden
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Voters in District 17 will not replace a guy who helped make the awful mess in Washington with one who helped make the awful mess in Harrisburg.
Though Schuylkill tolerates him, Argall can’t overcome his negatives in much of the rest of the district. He voted for the PA legislative pay and pension grabs. Ask Chipper Brightbill how that worked out for him.
It’s lose-lose for voters no matter which hack wins — Holden or Argall.
Here’s hoping for someone with some principles to knock off Argall in the primary or to mount a strong independent candidacy in November.
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