Art Halvorson, a local businessman and military veteran, announced his candidacy to challenge Rep. Bill Shuster in the Republican primary for Pennsylvania’s 9th Congressional District.
Halvorson, a Mann’s Choice resident and 29-year veteran of the Coast Guard, announced on Saturday that he intends to challenge seven-term incumbent Shuster in next year’s Republican primary. Halvorson declared his intention to run at a campaign event at the Jean Bonnet Tavern in Bedford.
According to Halvorson’s announcement invitation, he graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and “served as a Coast Guard helicopter pilot before retiring to Manns Choice in 2007. Halvorson is a member of Gideon’s International, the National Rifle Association, Crossroads Community Church in Bedford, and the Officer’s Christian Fellowship, of which he previously served as national president. Art and his wife of 34 years, Paula, have six children and six grandchildren”.
“If elected, I believe my candidacy presents a clear choice to the people of the 9th district,” said Halvorson. “If elected, I will limit myself to three consecutive terms. I will stand firmly for fiscal responsibility, limited government, and the free enterprise system.”
Halvorson set up an exploratory committee in April, and spoke to a Blair County Tea Party rally shortly thereafter. At that time, Halvorson cited Shuster’s support of Speaker Boehner and his vote against an amendment that would have required spending cuts to offset Hurricane Sandy relief funding.
According to the Altoona Mirror, on Thursday Attorney and Shuster supporter William Haberstroh filed a complaint to the Federal Election Commission concerning Halvorson’s exploratory committee.
Haberstroh’s letter to the FEC stated that “given the significant organization, infrastructure and publicity Halvorson’s exploratory efforts are comprised of, there is a near-certain likelihood that he has surpassed the $5,000 candidacy threshold” which if exceeded, requires the potential opponent to officially register their candidacy.
Rep. Bill Shuster has represented PA’s 9th district since 2001 and recently became the chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Shuster also serves on the Armed Services Committee.
“Congressman Shuster is working hard for the constituents of the 9th Congressional District,” said Sean Joyce, Shuster Campaign Manager. “As a successful small business owner, Congressman Shuster knows what it means to meet a budget and a payroll and is fighting to eliminate the overly burdensome mandates and taxes Washington is placing on hard working families and businesses.”
The seat has been held by Republicans since Shuster’s father, Bud, was elected in 1972. Therefore, the winner of the primary would have a fast track to victory in the general election.
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3 Responses
Here comes Bob Buzzardi, Defender of Gay Libertines and Promoter of Gun Control, to tell us why someone is in sufficiently conservative. Bob is outraged the Shusters directed funding to build a needed highway in Blair County. It’s outrageous!
No surprise that Bob halverson would break the law. bob has so many unpaid tax liens he makes a slumlord look like a paragon of virtue.
Big Government Republican Establishment Transportation Porker (like father, like son) US Rep. Bill Shuster knows he is vulnerable to challenge by fiscally common sense, limited government challenger like Art Halvorson on the issues so he manipulates the pro-incumbent election law to stall the challenger’s campaign. Hat Tip Chris Lilik Keystone Report http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/content.detail/id/571651/Candidacy-of-Shuster-challenger-questioned.html?nav=742
I have met Art Halvorson and been impressed and even more so by Mrs. Halvorson. I have met women like this and it is a mistake to smear her husband and, by implication, her children. The Shuster Campaign may find this to be its worst strategic mistake.
US Rep Bill Shuster is far, far Big Government Liberal than his district – Madison Performance Index ) We wonder why the country is going bankrupt. It is because we elect people who relentlessly increase spending. Bill Shuster voted for $60 BBillion dollar phony Sandy Disaster Relief bill and then the porked up Democrats’ VAWA, misnamed Violence Against Women Act. Transportation Porker Bill Shuster has, consistently, promoted more and more government spending for “road and bridges”, all of which, as we know, are falling down.
It is provably evident that Bill Shuster does not reflect his R + 17 district.
Bill Shuster’s Voting Record Madison Project http://www.conservativevotingrecords.com/member/pa-shuster-bill
Madison Performance Index Methodology http://www.conservativevotingrecords.com/methodolog
In depth detail Madison Performance Index Methodology http://www.conservativevotingrecords.com/methodolog/methodology-in-detail
“Shuster has represented the most conservative district in Pennsylvania for 11 years, yet he is just as liberal as the members from democrat-leaning districts. In 2011, he supported all the spending bills and the debt limit increase. In the past, he has voted for cash for clunkers, credit card regulations, and TARP. As one of the top members on the Transportation Committee, Shuster is a leading proponent of the current statist federal transportation policy that wastes money on mass transit and blocks devolution of transportation authority to the states. He is a big porker and advocate for high-speed rail. He was one of the biggest supporters of No Child Left Behind until it became very unpopular. He is a true red district statist.”