Staffers with Congressman Jon Runyan's re-election campaign touted an internal poll that gave the incumbent Republican a 16 point lead over Democratic challenger Shelley Adler, though the Adler campaign dismissed the poll as a "work of fiction."
The internal poll, conducted by private polling firm McLaughlin & Associates and released by the campaign Tuesday, shows Runyan topping Adler 51 percent to 34 percent, with Runyan receiving a quarter of the Democratic vote compared with Adler receiving just 8 percent of the Republican vote.
Runyan campaign spokesman Chris Russel said the congressman's support from several key labor unions helped boost his numbers with registered Democrats.
Adler's campaign disputed the poll.
"Those poll numbers are a work of fiction," Adler campaign spokesman Michael Muller told Patch.
Muller said the Adler campaign has not done any recent internal polling, but outside polls show the race is competitive and "we are within striking distance."
The national arm of the Democratic party identified the race as being potentially competitive early on, providing the Adler camp with an influx of funding through its "Red to Blue" program.
Adler recently began running television commercials themed around Runyan's former career as a professional football player. A new commercial titled "Free Agent" was released Tuesday, using the football theme to link Runyan to policies that lead to outsourcing.
Russel said in a statement that Adler's negative ads were "backfiring" and voters who counted "taxes, spending and debt" among their top issues favored the Republican by a 23 point margin.
And he must be racist !
Again, Ms. Adler's entire message was that Mr. Runyan is a bad choice, the basis in most cases simply being that he is a Republican. Mr. Runyan was reserved, and even a little circumspect. The closed mouth gathers no foot, as it is sometimes said. His two "advisors" - (yes, he had "advisors/handlers" at an editorial board meeting - although, to be fair, Ms. Adler's daughter was in attendance) - sat quietly in the back of the room - the young lady taking copious notes on her tablet pc. Mr. Witterschien vehemently hammered home his position regarding the IRS. Mr. Shapiro, who arrived a little late, spoke more about the need to return someone to the office in the model of Jim Saxton. Ms. Adler often invoked her deceased husband, who voted against ACA, although she indicated otherwise. Each candidate was given by me a DVD with the supporting documents for the Article the First Lawsuit, and, MORE IMPORTANTLY, the "Change the RULES" pledge, which blocks influence peddling using the "Rules of the House" and "Rules of the Senate". I signed this at the ceremony at Independence Mall in Philadelphia two weeks ago. The other two independents agreed to sign.
As to the "Change the Rules" pledge, neither Mr. Runyan nor Ms. Adler appeared to have any interest in it. The undue influence of political contributions by businesses who do business with the Governement is one of the main reasons that our budget is so over-inflated. We overpay for EVERYTHING at the Federal, State, and even local level. Mr. Runyan was heard to say "People don't really shop competitively for health insurance, do they?" My response was "Maybe someone who makes what you do doesn't, but we shop competitively for milk in my home". That raise a little ire. He also answered one way on the written questions on preserving Social Security, but another when asked the question directly by the interviewers. All in all, he came off "fair", to Ms. Adler's "poor", due to a mostly snarky disposition toward Mr. Runyan when answering almost any question. If you were to ask the other two independents in the room who "won" - I think you might be surprised at the answer...but that won't be how the press will report it. I cleaned both the major candidates' clocks - but you'll never hear it. The greatest problem this district faces? Mr. Shapiro and Mr. Runyan agreed that it was jobs.
Our position was as follows... There has been no Federal budget passed in over 1200 days...can we cut spending? Yes, but to know how much and where, we have to know what the budget actually is. We have no indications on "income" or "out-go". I was able to recommend specific policy changes that would result in less expense, and I also stated that my position on Social Security is that the creation of that program and the dollars collected for it are a public trust, and that it must be made a part of each year's budget, period. Like we folks who live in the real world, and actually "shop" for groceries "competitively", when preparing the Federal budget, decisions have to be made over "wants" and "needs". Funding Social Security is not an option, it is a mandate.
Mr. Runyan, however, favored raising the retirement age. Ms. Adler felt that, above a certain income, the contribution should increase, but her solution left a gap in the requirement for participation between the present ceiling and her proposed point at which the contributions would again kick in. I would bet she "lives" in that gap.
She also felt that she should be elected because she was the only female candidate, and that women are under-represented in Congress. On the second point, she is correct, but on the first? My position is that you elect the best PERSON - and that sex has nothing to do with it. She certainly didn't oppose her husband serving.
BOTH SIDES are responsible for the Gridlock that has prevented effective leadership in Congress for over a dozen years. If you keep sending the same folks in, that will not change. The solution to that lies before you - application of our Constitution. Article the First provides for no Congressional Districts larger than 50,000. Want to remove the road-block? Send 6000 people to Congress with an agenda of SERVICE, not BLIND PARTY LOYALTY. My opponent has voted lock-step with the Republican Agenda, which is what his party "hired" him to do - but he promised to be an independent voice...he hasn't been. He runs the plays as called by the coaches, Norcross and Gilmore, who have created the illusion of two-party ONLY politics. Spending and budget issues? The solution lies in the "Change the Rules" pledge. Want to back away from the fiscal cliff? Send fiscal conservatives to Washington. 700 B to create the new bureaucracy of ACA, rather than simply widen the aperture on Medicare, remove waste, and add wellness care, so that quality of life is also addressed, and preventive care, to reduce long-term expense? ACA is like running out of gas, and buying a new car instead of filling the tank on the old one, but continuing to insure the one you no longer drive.
We, the Democratic-Republicans, are working on ALL THREE.