Search
Close this search box.

Critz to Run for Lieutenant Governor

Mark Critz portrait 2
Mark Critz

Mark Critz will skip a rematch with Keith Rothfus and run for Lieutenant Governor in 2014, the former Congressman told a radio host Wednesday.

“It’s 100 percent. I just haven’t made it official yet,” Critz told the Union Edge, a pro-union radio show based in Pittsburgh.

His remark was reported by the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat.

Update: Here’s the audio.

Critz served in Congress for 3 years beginning in 2010, when he won a highly contest special election to replace the late Rep. John Murtha (D-Cambria). He won re-election that fall, and a primary versus Jason Altmire in 2012. He narrowly lost the 2012 general election to Republican Keith Rothfus.

For months, insiders have speculated as to whether Critz would seek a rematch with Rothfus, run for LG, or bide his time until 2016. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and other party power brokers had hoped to see him challenge Rothfus.

Critz will face a large and changing field of opponents in the Democratic primary. Harrisburg City Councilman Brad Koplinski was the first to announced, followed by Bradford County Commissioner Mark Smith and then Harrisburg city official Brenda Alton.

State Sen. Larry Farnese (D-Phila), State Reps. John Galloway (D-Bucks) and Brandon Neuman (D-Washington), and Northampton County DA John Morganelli, have each floated a bid.

Critz’s neighbor, state Sen. John Wozniak (D-Cambria) has also floated a bid. It’s not clear if he will remain in contention.

Koplinski’s campaign blasted Critz in a statement, comparing him to Gov. Tom Corbett:

“We welcome Mark Critz to the race, his views and ideas will create the sort of contrast we Democrats need.”

“Democrats will have the choice to choose between a true unwavering progressive and a candidate who has received a 0% from Planned Parenthood, a 0% from the Human Rights Campaign, an 8% from the Sierra Club, had the 4th worst lifetime record among Democrats according to the League of Conservation Voters, was among Pat Robertson’s Christian Coalition’s top 10 highest rated Democrats and received an A grade from the NRA. The overwhelming response Brad has heard in over 50 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties shows that Pennsylvania needs a complete departure from the conservative Corbett Administration policies, not an extension.”

13 Responses

  1. Critz entrance has now given the Dems a state wide ticket to support.
    Critz a conservative Dem for LG with Schwartz, a liberal Dem as Gov.
    Their connections will make this a very successful fundraising duo and could challenge corbett Cawley.

  2. A sane and rational person doesn’t sponsor the Akin “Forcible Rape” Bill, support the Halliburton Loophole, want our LGBT friends to be second class citizens and believe that gun rights are absolute. If that is what his idea of “doing” is, please stay away.

  3. Mark Critz is a sane, rational voice amongst throngs of extremists. I appreciate that he has the interests of all Pennsylvanians — heck, all Americans — at heart. He is a problem solver, an astute thinker, and most important of all, a doer. He will work tirelessly to make sure that our education and transportation funding problems are taken care of and will bring reason to Harrisburg once again. My vote is for Critz!

  4. Critz would be a disaster as a Candidate for Lieutenant Governor. In his last campaign for Congressman he ran against Democratic Values and pledged at times not to support President Obama’s policies. He is a flip flopper on important issues. Just a couple weeks ago he was in Washington DC trying to get funding for another campaign for Congress. Failing at that he decided to run for Lieutenant Governor.With his political views he would be an extension of the Corbett Administration. On the Democratic Ballot for Lieutenant Governor in 2014 he would be a gift to the ‘re-election of Tom Corbett.

  5. A Democrats vote for Critz is a vote against Women. Lets not knock the party back 60 years by supporting someone who is against our values on nearly everything but labor.

  6. Remember, Critz and Bill Shuster made a deal with each other back in 2012. Each agreed to not support the other’s opponent. Thus, Rothfus won even tho he had no support from the Republican Congressional delegation, and the Democrats in the western counties refused to help Shuster’s opponent Karen Ramsburg. Both Critz and Shuster should be viewed as less than trustworthy by their respective parties.

  7. His support of the Halliburton loophole, pro-fracking views, support of the Keystone pipeline and his taking part in the war against women disqualify him from being a real Democrat.

  8. Critz was a great Representative for Pennsylvania. He wanted to return federal dollars to the Keystone State. Let’s face it: Corbett, his advisors like Dark Prince Brabender and Race Hustler Rob Gleason, would even throw a Pennsylvanian Democratic US Speaker of the House under the bus, because the taxpayers of this state are not their top priority. Furthermore, Critz was another victim of PAGOP Race-Based Poltics. Critz is whiter than Kaspar the Friendly ghosts but Rothfus/PAGOP mailers made him look like our Muslim President’s darker brother. There are still elderly folks walking around Beaver County thinking Critz is African American. ( PA DEM Chair Elena Cross: Are you tough enough to fight these Race Hustlers?) http://www.keystonepolitics.com/2013/07/the-pa-republican-partys-leadership-needs-to-quit-race-based-politics/

  9. Critz is by far the strongest candidate and can definitely raise the money. The minor league candidates who have been eyeing this race are in trouble. Critz make the democratic ticket against Corbett much stronger. Glad to see him back in politics, if nothing for the fact that he is interesting to watch!

  10. Does anybody reading this remember the joke he made about a gay rape at the PAFDW a few years back? His co-sponsoring of the Todd Akin “Forcible Rape” Bill and his Anti-LGBT record are disgusting. I don’t think any woman in that room would vote for Mr. Critz after the “joke” he made.

  11. A gas drilling lobbyist with a bad environmental record is just what Pennsylvania needs. We need to beat Corbett not beat him and put in the same. He is too conservative.

Email:
  • Do you agree that ByteDance should be forced to divest TikTok?


    • Yes. It's a national security risk. (60%)
    • No. It's an app used by millions and poses no threat. (40%)
    • What's ByteDance? (0%)

    Total Voters: 30

    Loading ... Loading ...
Continue to Browser

PoliticsPA

To install tap and choose
Add to Home Screen