Pennsylvania Republican Reaches ‘Young Gun’ Status with Clear Path to Victory

Washington– The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) announced today that Republican Mike Kelly (PA-03) has reached ‘Young Gun’ status, the premiere level of its three-tiered Young Guns program. By advancing to the program’s top tier, Kelly has proven his ability to build a winning campaign and achieve substantial fundraising goals.

“Mike Kelly is ready to take on incumbent Democrat lapdog Kathy Dahlkemper in November,” said NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions (R-TX). “Mike’s campaign is a symbol of the growing momentum behind Republican candidacies in Pennsylvania and across the country. As Democrats and their party bosses continue to push their big-government, big-spending policies onto the backs of hard-working families, Republicans like Mike Kelly will continue to present a clear alternative to a Democrat majority that continues to spend too much, borrow too much and tax too much.”

After playing football for Butler High School, Mike Kelly received an athletic scholarship from the University of Notre Dame. Upon graduation, Kelly moved back to Pennsylvania and began working for his family’s Chevrolet-Cadillac dealership. His hard work earned him numerous accolades on the national and local level. Kelly also served on the Chevrolet Dealers Advertising Association of Pittsburgh board and the Cadillac Consultants of Western Pennsylvania board. His experience and successes in the automotive industry prompted him to purchase his families’ dealership and later the Hyundai and KIA franchises, where he currently employs 109 hardworking Pennsylvania men and women. Kelly serves on several boards and is an active member of the Butler community. In recognition of his service, the Mayor of Butler named October 26, 2001 as “Mike Kelly Day” in honor of Kelly’s dedication to his hometown.

Originally founded in the 2007-2008 election cycle by Reps. Eric Cantor (R-VA), Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), and Paul Ryan (R-WI) as a member-driven organization, the Young Guns program has become an official NRCC effort dedicated to electing open-seat and challenger candidates nationwide. Reps. Cantor, McCarthy and Ryan remain actively involved in Young Guns, working together to recruit and prime conservative leaders for victory.

Now that Mike Kelly has completed the Young Guns’ benchmarks to place him on the road to victory, he is ready to hold incumbent Democrat Kathy Dahlkemper accountable in November.

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