By SANDRA K. REABUCK
EBENSBURG — Cambria County Controller Ed Cernic Jr. jumped into the race Monday for the 12th Congressional District seat left vacant by the death of U.S. Rep. John P. Murtha.
Cernic, a Democrat, made the announcement in the courthouse rotunda surrounded by about
60 supporters, family members and several row officeholders.
Cernic, 55, stressed fiscal accountability in government as well as his strong ties to the local community.
“All my public life has been focused around fiscal responsibility,” he said. “I believe that government officials should be accountable as they spend taxpayers’ money. Government spending should be capped until the economy recovers.”
Cernic was traveling later in the day to Mount Pleasant, Westmoreland County, to make a second announcement there.
The county controller, who formerly served for 18 years as a West Taylor Township supervisor and for nearly six years on the Greater Johnstown school board, said his experience in government, politics and private business has prepared him for the position of congressman.
He is either owner or a co-owner with family members in several motorcycle shops and in Cernic’s Real Estate Partnership. He is active in Democratic politics and serves on the Cambria County Transit Authority.
Cernic said he and his family chose to remain in the community and develop their businesses after Johnstown’s 1977 flood.
“We have stayed in this area to retain jobs and create jobs,” he said.
He said that, if elected, he would bring “a common-sense approach to government and its problems.” Business and labor need to work together “for solutions to get us back on track again (economically), which should include addressing our trade policies and the NAFTA agreements,” he said.
He also described himself as a pro-family candidate and a strong advocate of protecting citizens’ Second Amendment right to have guns.
In the 12th Congressional District, a special election will be held in conjunction with the
May 18 primary.
Voters will elect a new representative for the balance of this year to fill Murtha’s unexpired term. Voters also will nominate party candidates for the November election, when a full two-year congressional term is at stake.
Democratic contenders have been jockeying for both the special election and the primary nomination.
Last week, Barbara Hafer of Indiana Borough, a former state auditor general and treasurer, and former state Lt. Gov. Mark Singel of Westmont announced they’re running.
In addition, Ryan Bucchianeri of Monongahela, a former Navy officer and businessman, and Ron Mackell, a Texas attorney and former Cambria County resident, had announced prior to Murtha’s death they would seek the Democratic nomination. However, Mackell has said he will not seek the party’s nomination for the special election.
Since Murtha’s death, no new Republicans have entered the congressional race. The two previously announced GOP contenders are William Russell of Johnstown and Tim Burns of Washington County.
