By Alex Roarty
PoliticsPA Staff Writer
roarty@politicspa.com

UPDATED: Republican insiders with knowledge of the campaign tell PoliticsPA that Welch has not made a firm decision about his future yet.

Steve Welch isn’t going anywhere.

Just minutes after Jim Gerlach announced he would seek re-election in the 6^th Congressional District, the wealthy businessman said Thursday that he will continue to seek the Republican nomination.

“My decision to run for Congress was based upon a belief that the current path being set in Washington is far from ‘stimulating’ job growth; it is killing it,” Welch said in a statement. “We must revive our economy by setting the stage for businessmen and women to create jobs that will help strengthen our communities and our families.

“As I have said before I admire Jim’s commitment to public service and look forward to a professional, spirited debate on the best way to revive the American Dream and stop burdening our children with mountains of debt,” he said.

Welch has already been forced out of one race: in the 7^th Congressional District, when party leaders pushed him out to make way for former U.S. attorney Pat Meehan.

Welch has already loaned his campaign $500,000 out of his personal fortune.

On Thursday, the man previously seen as Welch’s stiffest competition for the Republican nomination, state Rep. Curt Schroder, indicated he would stay in the race.

Another candidate, former Revenue Secretary Howard Cohen, said he would make a decision about his candidacy after Gerlach announced his decision.

An important local Republican, Chester County Republican Party Chairman Skip Brion, has signaled he would support Gerlach’s re-election race, but cautioned he would need to talk to the congressman before making any decision.

Tags: Curt Schroder, Howard Cohen, Jim Gerlach, Steve Welch

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