KERSEY – The Elk County Democratic Committee kicked off the 2016 Election Year with a “Politics & Pancakes” Petition-signing Breakfast at the Fox Township Senior Center in Kersey on Jan. 30.
Democrats from across the county were able to meet the candidates, sign their petitions and hear them speak.
U.S. Senate candidates Joe Sestak and Katie McGinty both stressed current U.S. Senator Pat Toomey’s abysmal record supporting veterans, despite the fact that Toomey voted to send tens of thousands of soldiers to fight overseas.
Sestak is a former U.S. Congressman and three-star Navy Admiral. McGinty is a former Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary.
U.S. House of Representatives candidate Kerith Strano-Taylor spoke of the lack of interest that current U.S. Congressman Glenn Thompson showed toward a veteran’s spouse when she contacted the congressman for assistance getting help with her husband’s PTSD treatment.
Strano-Taylor, from Brookville, is a family attorney and children’s’ advocate for Jefferson County.
Pennsylvania State Treasurer candidate Joe Torsella highlighted the need for integrity in the State Treasurer’s office, a job that oversees more than $100 billion of the Commonwealth’s financial resources.
Torsella is a former chief executive officer of the National Constitution Center and UN Representative for Management and Reform.
PA House of Representatives candidate Jay Notarianni told the audience that he wants to make sure that residents of the 75th district have the same economic opportunities that he has had during his career.
Notarianni, from Wilcox, is a Journeyman bricklayer and member of the Johnsonburg Fire Department.
Campaign representatives for U.S. Senate candidate John Fetterman and State Attorney General candidates Josh Shapiro and Steven Zappala also were in attendance. A representative from Pennsylvania Democratic Party also visited the breakfast.
The Elk County event was the fourth of seven petition-signing events for the Democrat candidates held throughout western and northwestern Pennsylvania throughout this past weekend.
Other events were held in Blair, Jefferson, Clearfield, Clarion, Warren and Erie counties. This year marked the third year for the “Northwest Weekend” series, which aims to bring statewide Democratic candidates for office to the region.
Pennsylvania’s Primary will be held Tuesday, April 26. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.