Cris Dush decided to launch his campaign against Speaker of the House Sam Smith (R-Jefferson) for the Republican nomination in Smith’s district.
In 2012, the Speaker took 49% of the vote in a three way race versus two little-known conservative challengers, Jim Brown and Dush. He lost his home county, Jefferson, to Dush. Wide margins in Indiana and Armstrong counties gave Smith an overall win margin of 459 votes.
Jim Brown is supporting Dush in this primary.
“I am miles ahead of where I was two years ago,” Dush told PoliticsPA. “There are a couple lessons I learned: Get in early enough, last time I only campaigned for 92 days but it was the first time in half a century that either Sam or his father lost Jefferson County, that was a pretty remarkable feat.”
Dush is a native of Brookville. He graduated Brookville Area High School in 1979 and attended Clarion State College until enlisting in the Air Force as a Law Enforcement Specialist. He was a corrections officer until his retirement in 2012.
This year, Smith is running for his 14th term in the House and has already started running a radio ad.
“We may not be as big as Philadelphia or Pittsburgh, but thanks to Sam our conservative voice is heard,” a narrator boasts.
The ad notes that Smith has a 100% rating from the American Conservative Union, is pro-life, and has been endorsed by the National Rifle Association in every campaign.
PoliticsPA is seeking comment from Smith.
Smith’s 66th district barely changed during redistricting. It still has all of Jefferson County but gave up its small sliver of Armstrong and added new territory in Indiana. 87.9% of the voters in Smith’s new district were also in his old district, including 88.7% of Republicans according to Labels & Lists.
HD-66 is solid red, 55.1% GOP to 35.1% Dem
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5 Responses
If I were Dush here would be my campaign ad PICTURE OF GAS STATION PRICE SIGN “On Primary Election Day, thank Sam Smith for raising the price for a gallon of gas .28 cents”.
You guys do realize that the vast majority of the readership of Politics PA are proud members of the PA Political ‘echo chamber’, and know that most posts advance agenda for/against a particular candidate, right?
This should be a good establishment vs conservative race. Dush has a great opportunity to win.
Sam will get lots of campaign cash, just by asking. Beating him will take an intense grassroots effort.
This will not be a difficult decision for voters in the 66th to make this primary. There is a clear distinction between the incumbent, a career politician and a REAL conservative. I expect Cris Dush to win by a wide margin. The people in District 66 are looking for REAL change to the status quo.