SIGEL – Reform One, Lynn Swann’s campaign bus, pulled into the small town of Sigel in Jefferson County Saturday morning.
After coming off of the bus, Swann, the Republican candidate for Pennsylvania governor in 2006, addressed sportsmen and also announced that two familiar names would be serving as co-chairs on Swann’s sportsmen’s coalition.
Swann told the approximately 50 people at the Sigel Sportsmen’s Club Saturday that he plans to make sure the way of life of sportsmen’s is preserved.
“I have a firm belief that we have a right to carry firearms,” Swann said, a sentiment that was met with applause from the group at the club.
“Facilities like this are great because it teaches kids and all of us to hunt safely,” Swann said, noting the Sigel Sportsmen’s Club’s firing ranges.
Swann said he doesn’t plan to increase restrictions on firearms if he is elected as Pennsylvania’s next governor. “We have enough laws on the books. … We just need to enforce them.”
Swann also addressed a problem often discussed among hunters — the deer population in Pennsylvania.
Swann said he believes the deer have moved. “I think we need to move some of that deer population and get them back out into the woods.” He added that he often sees several deer in his Sewickley Heights (a suburb of Pittsburgh) backyard.
He added that if the Pennsylvania Game Commission needs more funding to make all of this possible, “so be it.”
While in Sigel, Swann also announced that former PGC Executive Director Vern Ross and Clearfield County resident Pat Domico would be two of the co-chairs for his sportsmen’s coalition.
Ross introduced Swann to the sportsmen, and he said he had done the same thing for Tom Ridge years ago.
“That was a great day, and today is another great day,” Ross said.
Swann closed out his speech with “I need your help, I want your support, I want your vote” before leaving for other committments in Clarion and elsewhere.