York — There are almost more candidates running to fill the seat of Rep. Todd Platts than there is room on a stage. Fitting then, that the 10 hopefuls – 7 Republicans, two Democrats and one Libertarian – met with voters and business leaders in a converted warehouse Wednesday night.

The York County Chamber of Commerce hosted a candidates meet-and-greet in a building acquired by the York College of Pa. – a former warehouse in the latter stages of being converted into college facility. The format was casual; each candidate spoke for two minutes, and spent the remainder of two hours mingling with voters. About 60 people attended, 30 of whom were with the press or accompanied a candidate.

Platts, who served for 12 years before announcing his intent to retire at the end of 2012, has made no indication who he supports in the crowded primary. That has created a large vacuum in the safely Republican seat, where the GOP primary winner is overwhelmingly favored to win the general.

The campaign is still young, said York County Republican Chairman Bob Wilson.

“The candidates are still getting to know each other, to see where they stand on the issues. By the end of March, we’ll know who the serious candidates are. The exciting time in this race is April.”

Indeed, aside a few light zingers from Sean Summers and Ted Waga (expanded below), there were few fireworks at the forum. Here is a bit of background about the candidates, what the talked about, and a few basics like the number of doors they’ve knocked and their view on term limits. Also, because this is such a low-media district, how many doors each has personally knocked.

Top Tier. These are the candidates who, at present, have strong name ID and fundraising ability.

Scott Perry. State Representative (HD-92), Carroll Township. 500 doors knocked.

Most observers count Perry as the candidate with the inside track. He’s got the reputation of a conservative in Harrisburg, and he also boasts of his mechanical contracting business. Not to mention, he saw combat in Iraq where he commanded a battalion.

“The most important issue is the federal debt, and how it transfers to employers in the Midstate,” he said. “Whoever is best at articulating that, that’s a good arrow in their quiver.”

He said he didn’t expect the race to heat up until 3 and a half or 4 weeks out. “The presidential primary is sucking the air out of the room,” he explained.

Perry said he would support term limit legislation and has sponsored such in Harrisburg, but did not say he would term limit himself without such a rule.

Chris Reilly. York County Commissioner, York Township. 700-800 doors knocked.

Reilly was the top vote-getter in when he won re-election as Commissioner in 2011, and he knows off the top of his head that 62 percent of the GOP electorate in the district lives in York County.

He acknowledged that the GOP candidates are singing the same tune on most issues.

“The way I differentiate myself from my opponents is that we’ve done it here in York County. Our government fund is $4 million less than it was in 2009. We’ve eliminated 59 positions over the past few years, cutting the size of county government. We have stabilized the County’s bond rating and improved in a bad economy.”

He also boasted, to the crowd and on his campaign literature, of his endorsement from Sen. Pat Toomey.

Reilly brought the term limit issue into the fore. He signed a pledge this week supporting the plan of SC Sen. Jim DeMint: 3 terms in the House, 2 in the Senate. Reilly said if that plan was not enacted, he would limit himself to 4 terms.

Sean Summers. Attorney, Manchester Township. 500 doors knocked.

In the crowded field, Summers won the lottery – he’s at the top of the ballot. His claim to fame is that he was the attorney who argued in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of a family seeking to sue the Westboro Baptist Church. The extreme religious sect protested the funeral of the family’s son, a Marine fallen in combat. Summers also served in Afghanistan.

After going through his bio, with business experience, he lead out with a zinger against Reilly.

“I do not have Pat Toomey’s endorsement. In fact, I’ve never met Pat Toomey. In fact, Pat Toomey made and endorsement about 5 seconds after Todd Platts retired. But I do have the endorsement of John Bailey, Bailey Travel; Mike Clifford, McClarin Plastics,” and other business leaders.

“I believe our business leaders in the community know what they’re doing and know how to create jobs.”

He also boasted of his numerous volunteers – indeed the County is currently plastered with his yard signs and his alone.

Like Platts, he believes in term limits of 12 years (6 terms).

Other Republicans

Ted Waga. Sergeant, Baltimore County Police, Windsor Township. 2,000 – 3,000 doors knocked.

Waga is tough to categorize as a candidate. He proudly calls himself a Tea Party Republican and is closely affiliated with the York 9-12 Patriots group (he won their straw poll of the race convincingly). He had announced his candidacy in the primary five months ago, before Platts announced his retirement – a fact Waga mentions frequently.

“I’m here because I love this nation,” he said, pointedly, “not because I saw an opening when Todd Platts retired.”

Waga said he would limit himself to 6 terms, just like Platts.

Kevin Downs. Accountant & banker, Windsor Township. 4,000 doors knocked.

Downs, like most of the candidates, is running on his business credentials.

“You don’t have to be a millionaire, a lawyer or a career politician to win this office,” he said. “The voters need a representative who understands business. I understand business.”

Regarding the fundraising disadvantage he faces against some of the other candidates, he says hard work and support from his friends and family will make up for it.

He believes in term limits in the Platts vein – 6 terms for 12 years.

Eric Martin. Mobile phone retailer, York Township. 200 doors knocked.

Martin is the youngest candidate in the field at 25 (26 next week), and he also has the slimmest resume. He says the key measure of candidates is where they stand on the issues.

“Look at my issues on the website. I’ve written out more and more detailed issue positions than anyone else in the race.”

Like Platts, he believes in term limits of 6 terms, 12 years.

Mark Swomley. Engineer and project manager for the Hershey Company, Springettsbury Township. 400-500 doors knocked.

“As a project manager, I’m charged with getting things done on time and under budget, something our federal government is sorely lacking,” he told the crowd. He also decried the Obama administration’s appointment of “czars.”

“Czar is another word for king,” he said. “I thought we fought for independence so we didn’t have to serve under kings.”

Swomley believes in term limits matching Platts, 6 terms for 12 years. He himself would term-limit himself to just 8 years.

Democrats.

Ken Lee. Business Attorney, Hampden Township, Cumberland County. 700 doors knocked.

Lee has been a Democratic party activist for years, known by his signature handlebar mustache. In this race, he’s the one candidate not from York County and has ties to the other non-York parts of the district: he graduated from Gettysburg College, works in Harrisburg, and is on the Board of Directors of the National Civil War Museum.

“I’m a Democrat. I’m not afraid to say that,” he told the forum. How does he defeat his primary opponent, who has the benefit of “York” underneath his name?

“Work hard. Do things no one else is willing to do. And talk about my resume. There is nobody in the race that knows business better than me.”

Lee does not believe in term limits, but at 51 said he expected to be playing a lot of golf by age 65.

Harry Perkinson. Engineer, York Township. 500 doors knocked.

Perkinson starts off with the primary advantage of being the Democratic candidate from York. In a red district like Pa-4, he didn’t hesitate to articulate his liberal views.

“We’re going to have to spend a lot more to get the economy going,” he said. “I’m not afraid to say that. We can’t cut our way out of this mess.”

He does not believe in a rule enforcing term limits, but would limit himself to 6 years.

Libertarian

Mike Koffenberger. Baltimore County Police Officer, Stewartstown.

That not one but two Maryland police officers should be running for this seat speaks to the changing dynamics of York County.

Koffenberger is working to gather the 3,304 signatures he’ll need in order to get on the ballot. He says he left the GOP shortly after the 2008 election, during which he supported Ron Paul.

“As a Libertarian, it’s party over principal, principal over party, it works both ways: it’s the party of principal,” he told the crowd. “I’m for a very fiscally conservative agenda.”

He does not believe in term limits.

“The voters should be the term limit,” he said.