Club for Growth: Shaner

The Club for Growth PAC on Monday endorsed State College businessman Matt Shaner, for the 5th Congressional District seat.

The endorsement e-mail said Shaner has shown the courage to fight against wasteful spending in Washington by signing an anti-earmark pledge.

The Club said Shaner is also a strong believer in cutting taxes, opening foreign markets to American exports and limited government.

The Club identified Shaner, Clearfield County financial consultant Derek Walker and Lycoming County businessman Jeff Stroehmann as the three top candidates for the Republican nomination.

They are the only candidates so far spending money on TV commercials.

The president of the Club for Growth is former U.S. Rep. Pat Toomey, whom Shaner supported when Toomey unsuccessfully challenged U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter in 2004 for the Republican nomination for senator.

“A lot of candidates like to call themselves ‘conservative’ but don’t take the steps to back up their words," Toomey said in the press release. "By signing a pledge to reform the earmarking process, Shaner demonstrates the backbone necessary to fight for taxpayers in Pennsylvania’s 5th Congressional District.”

Comments

[Mike Richardson]

Mike,

If you are going to give a synopsis of an endorsement give an accurate synopsis. The club did not just say there are 3 main candidates; they said there are very distinct differences among them.

From the Club:
Though none of the three major candidates in the race have voting records, already significant distinctions are being drawn. Shaner has shown the courage to fight against wasteful spending in Washington, quickly signing the anti-earmark pledge. He is also a strong believer in cutting taxes, opening foreign markets to American exports, limited government, and our free enterprise system.

In stark contrast, his opponents show definite signs of weakness on economic issues. Derek Walker, a financial consultant, is opposed to NAFTA and is an unabashed supporter of wasteful pork barrel spending. The other candidate, Jeff Stroehmann, is a proud protectionist, advocating policies that would cripple central Pennsylvanian exports. Though he claims to be a fiscal conservative, Stroehmann’s protectionist views would impose heavy new taxes on consumers and businesses.

“Even without previous voting records, it is clear that there is only one true free-market, economic conservative in this race,” said Club for Growth President Pat Toomey, “and his name is Matt Shaner. A lot of candidates like to call themselves ‘conservative,’ but don’t take the steps to back up their words. By signing a pledge to reform the earmarking process, Shaner demonstrates the backbone necessary to fight for taxpayers in Pennsylvania’s Fifth Congressional District.”

The CDTs bias’ has no end. They should be ashamed of themselves. For the first time in 5 years they are going to break their own reporting rules and extend the coverage of letters to the editor in regard to congressional races. I am absolutely disgusted by the tone and agenda of the Centre Democratic Times.