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Critz: I'll never go on Fox News

Published by Tim McNulty on .

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Everybody who reads this site knows all about Mark Critz's union endorsements, which are a part of an attempt to appeal to an old-time Democratic constituency that's been clear ever since his 12th district congressional primary race against fellow Dem Jason Altmire started.

Now Critz is painting himself as a more reliable, traditional party member than his opponent. In an email to supporters today (posted by Keystone Politics) he refers to a recent CQ "party unity" study on voting records in which Altmire voted with Republicans 53% of the time and comments on his appearances on Fox News:

While I don’t always vote with the Democratic leadership, I am a proud Democrat and I am not afraid to say it. Jason Altmire voted with the Republican leadership 53% of the time in 2011 and never misses an opportunity to go on Fox News to bash the Democratic Party. I have never been on Fox News and I never will.

Critz voted with Republicans 31% of the time, third most in the state after Altmire and Tim Holden (33%). For comparison's sake, safe-seat Pittsburgh Dem Mike Doyle voted R 5% of the time.

Critz faces off against Altmire for the first time Sunday, for the endorsement by Allegheny County's Democratic committee.

The full letter via Keystone Politics' Jake Sternberger is after the jump:

When the Republicans gerrymandered the Congressional districts in Pennsylvania and drew me and my colleague Jason Altmire together, many people assumed that we had similar records. While we do agree on many issues, there are major differences between Jason and myself in our approach to serving in Congress and working within the Democratic Party.While I don’t always vote with the Democratic leadership, I am a proud Democrat and I am not afraid to say it. Jason Altmire voted with the Republican leadership 53% of the time in 2011 and never misses an opportunity to go on Fox News to bash the Democratic Party. I have never been on Fox News and I never will.
When I was standing up to the Tea Party and opposing the Republican Balanced Budget Amendment, Jason Altmire was working with the Republicans to round up votes to pass it.  Seniors, education, labor, and veterans groups opposed the Republican Balanced Budget Amendment because passage would lead to massive cuts to Social Security, Medicare, education, veterans’ benefits and other vital programs.  The non-partisan Center for Policy and Budget Priorities said that the Amendment would kill 15 million jobs and double unemployment in these difficult times.When John Boehner and Eric Cantor were trying to dismantle the health care bill, Jason Altmire joined them and voted to defund the state exchange program.  Without the exchange program, people with pre-existing conditions and without health insurance would be forced to go without coverage.  I didn’t initially support the health care bill, but I believe that repealing or dismantling it would be devastating.  We need to improve the bill, not kill it.

We are making great progress in our race. We’ve picked up key endorsements – this week from the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the Fire Fighters, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 23, the Utility Workers Union, and Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1279.  The momentum is on our side.  We can win this April and again in November, but I can’t do it without your help.

A contribution from you will help ensure that we have resources to build a strong grassroots campaign that puts us over the top. By helping me, you can help send a REAL Democrat back to Congress.Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Mark Critz

PS. I have been endorsed by the following organizations:

Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1279
International Association of Fire Fighters
Laborers District Council of Western Pennsylvania
Service Employees International Union
United Food and Commercial Workers Local 23
United Mine Workers of America
United Steelworkers
Utility Workers Union of America
National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare

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