With Li out, Parrish looks to fall race in 6th

Mike Parrish The primary race for the Democratic nomination for the 6th Congressional District ended more than three weeks early, when Lindy Li was forced to drop out of her race against Mike Parrish over questions with her nominating petitions, late Friday night. Parrish is now slated to take on freshman incumbent Republican Ryan Costello in November.

Chesco Dems back Sestak, Parrish, Balchunis and Hartman

The county’s Democratic Party made key endorsements in the U.S. Senate race as well in three local congressional races at its annual party convention, Wednesday night, backing Joe Sestak for Senate and Michael Parrish in the 6th District, Mary Ellen Balchunis in the 7th District and Christina Hartman in the 16th District. Additionally, the committee endorsed Josh Shapiro for Attorney General over...

Kittappa becomes 5th candidate for 16th District seat

Dr. Raj Kittappa It’s not even 2016 yet, but the race to replace U.S. Rep. Joe Pitts (R-16) got even more crowded this week when a third candidate, Dr. Raj Kittappa announced he would seek the Democratic nomination in the the 16th District. A total of five candidates are now vying for the seat. Kittappa joins fellow Democrats Dr. Gary Wegman, a dentist from Berks County and Christina Hartman...

Toomey talks economy, odds of federal shutdown during Chesco visit

U.S. Senator Pat Toomey (R) gets a tour of the facility from Lord’s Pantry Executive Director Jan Leaf, Monday in Downingtown. U.S. Senator said he thinks shutdown is doubtful; seeks new policies to get economy moving By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times DOWNINGTOWN — U.S Sen. Pat Toomey spent much of Monday morning in Chester County, visiting a local food bank and attending a Veterans’ Administration...

Saving the Post Office

Handcuffed by Congress, Postal Service faces a murky future By Nathaniel Smith, Columnist, The Times I’ve always been a fan of the post office. I enjoy getting the mail out of the letterbox attached to my house six days a week; I like knowing that a mail carrier is walking around my neighborhood and going to people’s doors without asking for subscriptions or conversions. I enjoy taking...

Gerlach won’t run in 2014

Seven-term Congressman cites family needs By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach. U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach (R-6) announced Monday that he would not seek a seventh term in the U.S. House of Representatives. The move comes as a bit of a surprise — just two years after redistricting made the Sixth a more Republican-friendly district and will suddenly open the field to a number of local...

My view on the local Congressional races

Americans don’t like Congress, but keep sending the same people to D.C. By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times In these highly partisan times, it seems likely that many voters will be voting one party, one ticket, putting ideology over competency. Ironically, most polling shows that we Americans hold our Congress in very low esteem, yet seem to continually send representatives to Washington, D.C....

7th District Election Preview

Redrawn 7th is more GOP friendly, but race is a microcosm of presidential race By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times The new Seventh Congressional District, in green above, runs through numerous counties and adds many new voters for 2012. In an unusual race because of redistricting, an incumbent congressman is a virtual new face to nearly two thirds of his new constituents — but a district that is likely...