Rothfus a NRCC contender

With Mike Turzai out of the race, Edgeworth attorney Keith Rothfus is a step closer to attaining "Young Guns" status with the National Republican Congressional Committee, qualifying him for heightened national support in his bid to unseat Jason Altmire/Mark Critz in PA-12.

Rothfus was part of the program in 2010, when he came within 2 points of unseating Altmire, and 62 of the NRCC's 92 Young Guns candidates won that year. He is one of 11 congressional candidates to be considered contenders so far this cycle.

Full statement from the NRCC after the jump:

Washington --- The National Republican Congressional Committee today announced Keith Rothfus as a ‘Contender’ candidate, the important third step in the ‘Young Guns’ program. Founded during the 2007-2008 election cycle by Reps. Eric Cantor (R-VA), Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Paul Ryan (R-WI), the ‘Young Guns’ program is a Member-driven effort that is the primary method for recruiting strong candidates for both open-seat and challenger races. Rothfus is running for Pennsylvania’s Twelfth Congressional District.

“We are looking forward to working with Keith Rothfus, who has already proven himself by meeting rigorous benchmarks in the ‘Young Guns’ program that will position his campaign for victory,” said NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions (R-TX). “Keith Rothfus’s dedication and experience enables him to advocate effectively for pro-growth policies and fight the failed status quo in Washington. This will stand in stark contrast to the Obama-Pelosi record of spending, borrowing and taxing that Pennsylvania families and small businesses know has failed.”

Specifically, the ‘Young Guns’ program encourages candidates who have proven their ability to meet crucial campaign benchmarks to develop their campaigns further in order to achieve victory on Election Day. In achieving ‘Contender’ status, Keith Rothfus has met the third set of these organizational and fundraising benchmarks and has already begun to establish himself as a strong contender. Rothfus will now work toward even higher goals that will help him advance in the ‘Young Guns’ program and build an effective, winning campaign. 

Keith Rothfus is a conservative who brings a wide range of experience and a deep commitment to his campaign for Congress. Most of Rothus’ professional life has been as an attorney in the private sector, working with large and small businesses as they strive to expand and create the jobs and opportunities that will shape the future of America. He understands that more government and more regulations are preventing job growth and economic recovery. Rothfus is a citizen candidate, not a career politician, who shares his constituents’ values and is not afraid to lead with those values.

With the third set of rigorous benchmarks met in order to achieve ‘Contender’ status, Keith Rothfus will now work toward even higher goals that will help him advance in the ‘Young Guns’ program and build an effective, winning campaign.