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PA12: Keller Debuts 2 TV Ads

The Republican candidate goes to television first.

State Rep. Fred Keller (R-Snyder) launched his first two television ads of the campaign for the upcoming special election for the 12th Congressional District. He is facing Democrat Marc Friedenberg, a professor at Penn State University.

Both 30 second ads from Keller tout his upbringing, work ethic, conservative record in Harrisburg, and willingness to fight for President Donald Trump’s agenda.

The first 30 second ad, Meet Fred Keller, begins by briefly detailing his childhood and job as a factory worker following high school before he was elected to the state House eight years ago.

“Things weren’t always easy growing up. We lived in a house with no running water or electricity,” Keller says to begin the ad. “But in those tough times, I learned the values of working hard and telling the truth. I went straight from high school to work in a factory.”

The ad continues with Keller calling himself a “conservative Republican” who fought tax increases as a state representative and saying he’s running for Congress to “keep that same American dream alive.” Keller also boasts about helping Trump create more jobs and opportunities if elected.

The other 30 second spot, American Dream, channels a very similar message from the first ad, while also promising to “fight the liberal Democrats” agenda.

“As a conservative Republican in Harrisburg, I fought tax increases,” Keller says in the ad. “In Congress, I’ll fight the liberal Democrats and their socialist Green New Deal. And I’m going to help President Trump create more jobs and expand opportunities for all of us.”

The Friedenberg campaign did not immediately respond for comment on the ads.

The 12th Congressional District was represented by Rep. Tom Marino (R-Lycoming) from 2011 until earlier this year, when the fifth term Congressman decided to retire, citing health issues.

The special election is set for May 21, the same day as the Pennsylvania primary.

14 Responses

  1. I’m not exactly up on the issues and do not want to get into a debate, but Fred Keller ad that says, in part, We lived in a house with no running water or electricity, sounds a little hinkey. Maybe 100 years ago, but not in at least the last half century. His ad sounds like he’s going for the heartstrings

  2. Marc is really out here trying to tell us to make cows illegal. He supports a bill that not a SINGLE DEMOCRATIC SENATOR would vote in favor of. He lost to Marino who was in the middle of a pretty big pharma controversy by 35 or whatever, this one could be even worse.

  3. Since 1980, the Republican party has been working to bankrupt the federal government. Big tax cuts for the richest of the rich 3 time now under Reagan, W Bush and Trump that did nothing but help drain the federal government of necessary and needed revenue – all with the false promise that more money in the pockets of the wealthy will spur an economic boom. 3 times middle class Americans were promised this and 3 times you’ve been scammed. WHEN WILL YOU LEARN and demand an end to this. If you want social security, better roads and infrastructure of all kinds, the wealthy have to pay their fair share. They aren’t going to trickle it down to the middle class. They aren’t going to pay you fair wages and provide benefits to you if you work for them. And Trumps agenda is bend over and take in Middle Class – who cares, may buds at Mar A Lago are making out bigly.

  4. Keller is part of the ultra right wing. He must be worried that he may have gone too far even for a district that is overwhelmingly Republican. Why else spend money on these ads and his nasty push polls? Is he afraid he’ll win by less than 30 points?

    1. You’re badgering a guy about whether or not he will have a 30 point margin of victory in a special election hahah. The grass must be green where you live if you know what I’m saying.

  5. Keller is full of horse phooey with this “socialist this” and “socialist that” but he says it because it is an effective tool for conservative Republicans to play intellectual tennis and bat the tennis ball over the net to score points in a game called gaining and maintaining power. Of course, a lot of the citizens in Keller’s potential district benefit from “community efforts” ie fire, police, military protection, healthcare, etc. but they don’t see it that way. And I still argue that “socialism” is a bait word for “communism” which is the real ghost in the closet. So, this is ultimately why Bernie will fail. Not because of age for Pa and the US have a large older citizenry but because “socialism” is a catch-all word that puts many off and shows only a centerist Dem will win in 2020.

    1. Friedenburg, his opponent, publicly embraces socialism. It’s not like Fred is going out and making this stuff up, Marc is literally the one screaming “LOOK AT ME IM A SOCIALIST”, so Fred is saying…hey…that guy says hes a socialist. We can also agree fire and police is one thing while a 70% income tax, making cows illegal and ending use of all petroleum (make up, clothes, the seat your big butt is sitting on right now) is a little wild and radical there, no?

  6. Wonder if his poor family ever got some form of “socialist” public assistance. Was he educated in the “socialist” public schools? Was his family protected by the “socialist” fire and police departments that were paid for by other peoples’ taxes his family was too poor to pay? Did the businesses he worked for rely on the “socialist” public roads for goods, services and customers? Just wondering.

    1. You are a troll my pal. We all obviously benefit from taxes and public assistance in our everyday lives. What the agenda is, is to find the proper amount of taxes where we can fund what needs to be funded, but allowing the American Worker to have more money in their pocket. Personal control of your own future, how can anyone be against that?

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