Dems Slam Toohil Over Video With $100K Ad (Watch Video)

Rep. Tarah Toohil (R-Luzerne) has gone from being a safe incumbent to a top target in two weeks. The House Democratic Campaign Committee will air this ad about Toohil’s recent embarrassing online video scandal to the tune of $100,000.

Capitolwire first reported the ad buy Wednesday evening. It’s running on network TV in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre market.

Update: Capitolwire also learned that the money was raised by former Rep. Todd Eachus, the man Toohil defeated in 2010, specifically for this ad.

“Tarah Toohil promised conservative values and said we deserved better. Instead we got a drug video, foreign junkets and staged apologies,” says a narrator. Then he pivots to the Dems’ main hit.

“Now Toohil wants children to learn from her example. But Toohil slashed $19 million dollars from Luzerne County schools.”

PoliticsPA obtained the ad from a Democratic operative in Luzerne County.

On paper in early 2011, Toohil might have looked like a prime target. A Republican who rode the 2010 tidal wave, she defeated Majority Leader Eachus in a Democratic district. But oddly, the race had been a sleeper – until this month.

An embarrassing video surfaced showing photos of her with drug paraphernalia and more, and it’s gone downhill from there. She’s had a bad headline – about questionable funding of a trip overseas, her relationship with another state Rep., etc – nearly every day. All of which is referenced in the ad.

Her Democratic challenger is Ransom Young, a farmer who served for 28 years as a Butler Township Supervisor. He’s kept on the attack.

PoliticsPA is seeking comment from Toohil.

11 Responses

  1. This is what happens when you open yourself up to attack by not watching your behind.

    I can guarantee you that if Ms. Toohil had a “D” after her last name, she would be getting raked over the coals even worse.

  2. Certain people comment on here about young’s campaign is financed by someone other than himself.
    Look at state campaign finance records. Young self funded nearly 80% of this campaign.
    She had a chance to explain her trip to the middle east and has kept her mouth shut.
    She lost control of this campaign the first time she lied. She will lose.

  3. She’s not allowed to go on a trip, but Ransom can take HIS OWN farm equipment to Butler Township garage to have Township employees work on it and use township time and money to do all this when he was ROADMASTER! This is just a tip of the ice berg of the Butler Township money he has MISUSED!

  4. This is nothing more than a slimy hit piece financed by a revenge-obsessed cretin who was one of the worst slimes in the House and who deserved to lose last cycle. What a creep.

  5. another brilliant strategic move by party strategists. (note: sarcasm) they wait until the last minute and spend all this money in a race they can’t win while other candidates that they could have helped probably are not. what a waste. they need some better strategists at the party.

  6. During her debate last night, she now claims it was a “campaign trip”. She can’t even keep her story straight! Took her only 2 years to become as corrupt as the rest of them!

  7. It’s a shame that the Dems are trying to make this a contest of morals. Look who’s funding her opponent, people that should be behind bars for bonusgate. The hypocrisy smells to high heavens. No one ever had a good time in their late teens? Give me a break, the Dems look pathetic

  8. Most of the power is back on in the market and it was never half.

    You are entitled to your own opinion- not your own facts.

  9. $100,000 in an area where half the homes have no power to watch tv? That’s really sensible. Toohil by 10 points.

  10. It looks like Toohil is the party girl of the House. There is nothing wrong with that. When I was in college, these were the girls I wanted to hang out with!! But, the problem is that Republicans run on strong conservative values. So much for those values now, Tarah.

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