By: Geoffrey Middleberg, Assistant Editor
GOP U.S. Senate candidate Sam Rohrer called for an open GOP primary on Friday, insisting that an open primary is the best way for the diversity of views within the Republican party to be heard.
Rohrer said: “I have great respect for Chairman Gleason and the members of the State Committee, but the closed nomination process is not keeping with the spirit of the Republican Party and counterproductive to defeating Sen. Casey. I’ve sought the individual support of the members of the State Committee, but I’ve always believed a top-down endorsement process by the GOP establishment would alienate members of the Tea Party, sew division within our ranks, and make it harder to ultimately elect a Republican U.S. Senator and win Pennsylvania for our Presidential nominee.”
Rohrer is popular with the tea party, he just won the recent straw poll of the Kitchen Table Patriots in Bucks County.
To prove his point, the Rohrer campaign bought the domain and launched a website, www.dearmrgleason.com, referring to state GOP chair Rob Gleason. The site asked Chairman Gleason and the state committee of the Republican party to choose not to endorse in the race.
Rohrer also said, “This is something I’ve believed for a long time. I have worked for reform and openness my entire career, and that’s why I believe it would be harmful to try clearing the field for a former Democrat or anyone else, for that matter. We need a clear Reagan conservative voice working to expose Senator Casey’s disastrous economic record, and that is what I will provide as our GOP nominee.”
Gov. Corbett has already indicated that Steve Welch is his choice and the Governor has demonstrated a willingness to put pressure on party officials to endorse a candidate. Tim Burns has been attacking Steve Welch because Burns has a strong desire to receive the endorsement of the state committee as well.
Rohrer raised $122,000 last quarter.
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12 Responses
It’s about time people wake-up to the fact that the GOP and the DNC are one in the same. This sameness is how we can have party switchers like Specter and Perry and those that just vote like the Progressive Liberals they pretend to despise like Lindsey Graham, John McCain and Newt Gingrich.
There are a few TRUE CONSERVATIVES in the GOP.
DON’T BACK DOWN, SAM!!! Your country needs you whether the people see it yet or not.
Of course Sam Rohrer would like the endorsement but he is going to run endorsement or not. With that in mind, your assumption that Sam has changed his stance on a non endorsement or ‘open primary’ because he may not get it is false.The only negative that you continue to recycle about this candidate is that he voted for the ‘midnight pay raise’. Rohrer has explained this vote and in hindsight has said he would have done things differently. He was promised a vote on his elimination of school property tax legislation in exchange for voting for a pay increase.His legislation was never considered as promised and he was lied to. Now, you can fault him for ‘horsetrading’ till the cows come home, and your blinders will have prevented you from fully vetting this candidate and his legislative record(which none of the others have).Are you really willing to disparage one of the most qualified, honorable, and experienced candidates we have seen in eons? By the way, Sam never took the pay raise and subsequently voted to repeal it.
I could care less who the Kitchen Table Patriots or any other Tea Party group supports. I absolutely discount any and everything Party bosses and State Committee Members tout.
For those who proclaim Rohrer has proven he can not receive state-wide support -let’s not overlook the fact that the Party did every and anything they could to suppress Rohrer who was running for Governor and Metcalfe for Lt. Governor. As is the practice, they had already pre-determined Corbett and Cawley were the nominees and did everything in their power to prevent Rohrer and Metcalfe from being exposed to the voters for consideration.
I am definitely not a Gingrich supporter. I do, however, enthusiastically support what he has accomplished; i.e., poking his finger in the eyes of Party bosses and a complicit mainstream media (aka Soros Stenographers). His primary wins should send a loud and clear message to Gleason, State Committee members, and the media.
Guzzardi and I [“The Bob”] discussed a related topic elsewhere:
https://www.politicspa.com/breaking-corbett-corbett-makes-it-official-endorses-welch-freed-maher-and-irey/31077/comment-page-1/#comment-708655
On the one hand, Sam should not be penalized forever for his remote-vote; on the other hand, his position regarding the endorsement should be consistent.
I liked him when I met him; he knows his Constitution. He bravely relinquished a position in which he was comfortable, reflecting a core-belief that he might be able to prevail…despite not being a millionaire.
I have received the hit-piece on Welch c/o Burns [I guess], and it is c/w the view that Welch is far more party-oriented than Guzzardi and I would prefer, notwithstanding his great ads.
Guzzardi and I like Smith, for reasons detailed on his website. It seems that the major attack on his party-consistency has been that he had been a D. But this didn’t hinder his ability to express conservatism, and I liken this to the h/o of Perry being a Gore-D. And Smith didn’t vote for “socialist”-BHO, nor did he $-raise for “anti-Israel”-Sestak.
Thus, I trust Guzzardi’s judgment, as he has tersely uploaded it; he has met all the candidate, and I have met Smith.
It would be desirable if state committee-people were to appreciate the strengths of all the candidates, recognize potential-weaknesses, absorb input regarding how they would candidly finance their campaigns, take into account input from colleagues, eschew being pressured…and then share their analyses with their “constituents” [such as myself, a local committee-person].
Sam Rohrer has a most valid point and I hope all committee people listen. All good to Sam for promoting the strange idea that Republican VOTERS and not Establishment Insiders are better able to choose their candidate.
I support Tom Smith because he is INDEPENDENT OF LEADERSHIP like Sam Rohrer whom I respect and have supported. Sam Rohrer brings ideas and passions and a commitment that is most appreciated.
In the past, Tom Smith contributed $30k to Sam’s campaign for governor which I credit for Tom Corbett’s support for no new taxes or borrowing and School Choice.
“NO ENDORSEMENT” allows Republican voters, not Republican Establishment Insiders to get to know the candidates and choose from an excellent array of candidates.
Sam is spot on! We are so tired of the GOP endorsing candidates before the primary and shoving them down our throat, that we have to hold our noses when we vote. This has got to stop! The latest example is Tom Corbett’s endorsement of Steve Welch. Steve Welch supported and voted for Obama in 2008. If that isn’t enough to turn your stomach, I don’t know what is!
Sam is like a breath of fresh air that shines a light on the corruption in this state. He supports many of the same principles that would make our founding fathers proud. Things such as limited government, cutting spending, second amendment rights, prolife, and elimination of school property taxes to name a few. Please go to his web site and learn about Sam: http://www.rohrerforsenate.org/
Sam has state wide name recognition, especially after giving Tom Corbett all he could handle in the Pa Governor’s race. Sam got over 30% of the vote. And his campaign fund-raising is going well too.
“Make a stand for Sam in 2012”
Let me get this straight: Sam Rohrer calls me because I am a State Committee Member and asks me to support him for the PA GOP endorsement. But, now that he realizes that he isn’t going to get the endorsement he is now in favor of an open primary.
Sam Rohrer has proven that he can not win a statewide race. In addition, I thought he wanted to be Governor? Now he wants to be a U.S. Senator? It looks like he’s just looking for another government job. What a joke!
The worst part is that people actually fall for this guy’s act. I just hope the State Committee Members are smart enough to see through this act. I will probably vote against an endorsement but not because of this guy… what a waste of our time.
The Kitchen Table Patriots did not endorse ANY candidate.
We hosted a debate where Sam won the straw poll.
That is not an endorsement, just a reflection of the preple who attended the debate.
Here are the straw poll results:
Sam Rohrer 50
Steve Welch 44
Dave Christian 10
Marc Scaringi 6
Tom Smith 5
undecided 15
Th remainder of the straw poll results will be release later this evening.
Dan McCabe
The Kitchen Table Patriots
Sam Rohrer can not raise money and cannot spark an enthusiastic base that will allow him to win a state wide race.
I also agree witht he Midnight Payraise scandal, that will be used to beat him over the head.
A majority of GOP members are fed up with the way the State GOP in Harrisburg operates and have sided with and joined TEA Parties. We don’t want to be dictated to whom we have to endorse, that is why we are Republicans. If they want sheep, then state that in the Bylaws or join the Democrat Party.
Sam Rohrer is right on the money with this article except for the respect part for Gleason and Barley. Sam may respect them but more than you can imagine don’t. After numerous letters, emails and request, neither of those spineless creatures would intervene with all the crap that has been going on with the Erie County GOP.
And they wonder why the Republican Party is imploding.
Did State Committee endorse Specter over Toomey? Anybody remember?
Roher seems credible but his purported campaign for Reform & transparency still must deal with Roher’s own vote for the midnight pay raise & pension increases for himself
People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones at others