By MIKE FAHER
For Tim Burns, it’s all about the economy.
The Johnstown native knows his potential political opponent in 2010
– Democratic U.S. Rep. John Murtha
– has taken heat for his stance on the war in Iraq and for the earmarked
federal money he brings home to his 12th Congressional District.
But the Republican candidate is not focusing on those issues, saying instead that he is focused on the future of his two young sons as the U.S. government takes on additional debt in an attempt to bail out struggling businesses.
“All we are doing is burdening future generations with our debt,” Burns said. “To me, that’s more than wrong. It’s immoral.”
Burns, 41, now lives in the Washington County community of Eighty Four but grew up in Johnstown’s Horners-town neighborhood and graduated from Greater Johnstown High School in 1986.
So he is well aware of Murtha’s political power: The congressman has held his seat since winning a special election in early 1974.
But Burns also seems unfazed, saying he believes voters may be ready for a change.
“There seems to me to be a growing sense that John Murtha has been a good congressman, but ... he may be out of touch,” Burns said.
The candidate attempted to underscore that point by arranging a town-hall meeting Thursday evening at Johnstown’s Masonic Temple to discuss health-care reform.
Murtha has scheduled no such sessions, prefering instead to host “telephone town-hall meetings” on the topic. Burns says that’s not good enough.
“At some point, (Murtha) has decided that he no longer has to listen to his constituents,” Burns said.
But Murtha spokesman Matt Mazonkey argues that, with nearly 650,000 people living in the sprawling congressional district, the congressman’s method is more effective.
“A town-hall meeting only reaches a few hundred people, whereas a telephone town hall reaches thousands,” Mazonkey said Thursday.
He added that Murtha has attended “dozens of events throughout the district this month,” including visits to health-care facilities to speak with doctors and patients.
A highly partisan crowd showed up at Burns’ event Thursday, with about 130 people shouting “Amen” when the candidate said he was “upset with the politicians in Washington.”
In spite of the warm reception he received Thursday, however, Burns has a long road ahead. He likely will face Republican William Russell in next year’s primary election.
Russell – a career Army man who served in both Iraq wars – staged a spirited run last year, forcing Murtha to engage in a last-minute fundraising spree before the congressman pulled out another convincing win.
But Burns believes that the 2010 race “requires a different kind of candidate.”
He says he will focus on economic issues, adding that his local roots and business expertise should serve him well.
Burns, an IUP graduate, started a pharmacy-technology company called TechRx Inc. in his basement in 1992. He grew that company to more than 400 employees before selling it in 2003 – a transaction that made him a millionaire.
“I understand what it takes to meet a payroll,” Burns said. “I understand what it means to have hundreds of people counting on you for a paycheck.”
He is not to be confused with Timothy Burns of Richland Towmship, a lawyer who ran for Cambria County judge in this year’s primary election.
Who’s running
Candidates vying for the
12th Congressional District seat in 2010, and their campaign Web sites:
Democrats
• U.S. Rep. John Murtha: www.murtha.org
• Ryan Bucchianeri: http://ryan2010.org
Republicans
• Tim Burns: www.timburnsforcongress.com
• William Russell: http://russellbrigade.com
