Democratic candidate for Pennsylvania’s 8th congressional district Kevin Strouse hosted a grand opening party at his brand new office in Doylestown yesterday, accompanied by Steve Cickay, Democratic candidate for PA Senate district 10, and Eric Nagy, the new Executive Director of the Bucks County Democratic Committee. Strouse will face incumbent Mike Fitzpatrick in the general election.
A grassroots atmosphere permeated the night, both in the decor and the words spoken by Strouse, Cickay, and Nagy. Homemade signs reading “Raise the Wage,” “People, not Banks,” “Stand with Strouse,” and “Turn Bucks Blue” hung throughout the office, where Strouse’s friends, family, and volunteers and local residents stood eating hoagies and drinking soda from solo cups. Attendees wrote why they were voting for Strouse on large colorful post-it notes and stuck them to the walls.
Nagy, who introduced Cickay, focused on the growth of the Bucks County Democratic Committee and the rebranding it is currently undergoing. “If we want to change the committee, optics go a long way,” he said. “We’re only going to be taken as seriously as we take ourselves.”
He discussed not just Kevin’s race in November, but the necessity of maintaining grassroots activism across other PA races and into the future after 2014’s races have been decided.
“We will turn this county blue once and for all. If you’re tired of Chuck McIlhinney, here’s your guy,” he said, pointing at Cikay. “If you’re tired of Mike Fitzpatrick, here’s your guy,” he claimed, pointing to Strouse.
“And if you’re tired of Tom Corbett, I got a guy for ya, and his name is Tom Wolf. Together, these three gentlemen are going to help turn not only our county around, but our state around. This is the year to do it. Don’t believe what anybody tells you, we can do it this year.”
Cikay, who introduced Strouse, did not say much, focusing mostly on Strouse’s credentials. In discussing Strouse’s ivy-education, Cikay joked, “It would be refreshing to have a bright man in Congress.”
Strouse pointed to recent declines of the people’s faith in government as reasons why his campaign strategies would thrive, making references to last October’s government shutdown – while noting Fitzpatrick’s role in that drama – and the too-large six-figure salaries of members of Congress.
“This is the kind of campaign that wins elections, especially in a year like 2014, when most of the country is disillusioned,” Strouse said. “And you should be. If you’re not disillusioned, then you’re not paying attention.”
He closed with strong optimism for the next 90 days of the campaign. “Despite all that [disillusionment], there is a great positive energy here. This is the kind of grassroots stuff that kicks off a strong campaign that stands in sharp contrast to what our opponent is doing right now.”
Strouse faces a tough campaign season, and will have to overcome Fitzpatrick’s cash advantage and his strong familiarity with the district if he hopes to win in November.
8 Responses
Saul, who is going to pay get for it. Bucks Dems angered their cash cow in labor.
Only those in office already have the ability to raise money.
Its been well documented that this was a “PA Dems” office. I’ll be shocked if Strouse can afford to keep the lights on from now until election day.
To say that this is uniquely his office is a fundraising gimmick that PoliticsPA bought right in to.
Fitzpatrick by 26.
“The world is filled with educated derelicts….” is the response of the majority of Bucks Country residents in response to Cikay’s snide remark re the intelligence levels of Strouse v Fitzpatrick.
@Sophie
I do not comment on PA06 because I don’t know the district. PA08, lived here all my life. I know the district and I know the people, something the Democratic establishment has yet to learn here. The only reason Boockvar didn’t lose by 18 was a bump she got from the Obama gotv.
@votes, just wait. its going to be ugly.
@Sean Ryan: PA-06 and PA-08, while I don’t believe we’re likely to win either seat, are what we have in PA as even remotely competitive. So it makes sense for PoliticsPA to cover them so much. Especially since the Gov race turned out to be (knock on wood) so boring.
@Sean Ryan
Shaughnessy lost the primary, cant run for state senate, and so you don’ have a job anymore. Get over it and find something better to do with your time than commenting Fitzpatrick and McIlhinney by some random number on every Politicspa story.
has anyone else noticed he always looks ridiculously goofy? arm in a sling or not
Fitzpatrick and McIlhinney by 25.
Nick, why does this race get so much free media? Is your old boss pushing you to write about a clear loser?