Mike Turzai

HARRISBURG -- State Rep. Mike Sturla (D-Lancaster County) has beat out state Rep. Mike Gerber (D-Montgomery County) for House Democratic policy chair.

If Tuesday's leadership elections are any indication, the policy chair position is prime ground to move on to higher positions. Each of this election cycle's two policy chairs, state reps. Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny County) and Todd Eachus (D-Luzerne County) moved up the leadership pecking order Tuesday. Turzai is now minority whip, Eachus was elected majority leader.

State Rep. Mario Civera has been re-elected minority appropriations chairman.

He reportedly faced a challenge from state Rep. John Maher. 

The top three position in the House Republican Caucus appear to be set, with House Minority Leader Sam Smith and Civera retaining their positions and former Policy Chairman Mike Turzai becoming minority whip. 

With John Perzel on the outs with his caucus, the Republican leadership for the next session seems to be set. Sam Smith will more than likely keep his current Minority Leader position. With Dave Argall attempting to run for the SD-29 seat vacated by the death of Jim Rhoades, conservative leader Mike Turzai has teamed up with Smith and will be seeking the position of Minority Whip. Joining Smith and Turzai is Mario Civera who will be the ranking Republican on the Appropriations Committee. This ticket is about as diverse of a Republican ticket as you can get. Turzai is a conservative from the southwest, Civera is a more moderate southeast Republican and Smith is a central mainstream Republican who tends a little more to the conservative end.

HARRISBURG -- State Rep. Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny County) told PolitickerPA.com Tuesday during a brief interview that he disapproves of the action allegedly taken by state Rep. John Perzel (R-Philadelphia), who reportedly conducted opposition research on Turzai and other fellow Republicans.

"It's disappointing," he said. "I prefer a positive team approach."

He declined to comment further. 

Turzai has been rumored as the favorite to take over his caucus' minority whip position, but the lawmaker declined to comment on anything regarding the leadership contest.

Turzai was attending Tuesday night's Speaker Franklin Awards Dinner, hosted by the conservative Commonwealth Foundation. 

Speaker of the House Emeritus John Perzel (R-Philadelphia) wants back into leadership, and he's allegedly ready to throw a few elbows to get there, Capitolwire reports Tuesday (subscription required).

GOP opposition researcher Joe Carduff told the news service he was hired by Perzel to conduct research on fellow House Republicans, including Minority Leader Sam Smith, Policy Chairman Mike Turzai, and the six Republicans who voted for Speaker of the House Dennis O'Brien (R-Philadelphia) after the 2006 election.

A Perzel spokesman denied the allegations and said Carduff was hired to do opposition research only on Democrats.

Perzel is rumored to be interested in reclaiming the caucus leadership role, which is held now by Smith. Nearly all reports and sources contacted by PolitickerPA.com indicate Turzai is ready to take over as minority whip, especially after current Minority Whip David Argall announced his intention to run for Jim Rhoades' seat in the Senate.

Carduff said he wasn't able to find anything usable against those whom he researched, including two Democrats -- state reps. Josh Shapiro (D-Montgomery County) and Mike Gerber (D-Montgomery County). He also told Capitolwire he was hired to do perform opposition research on Perzel to hide whom he was working for.

Perzel and Carduff disagree over an alleged $2,000 the opposition researcher was paid.

Perzel supporters say the payment was solely for opposition research on Democrats, work they said Carduff in fact didn't do in the first place.

Carduff said he researched both sides but wasn't paid after not finding anything usable.

A two-seat loss in the state House was good enough for Republicans, considering the overwhelming victory in Pennsylvania by President Elect Barack Obama, according to Mike Turzai, chairman of the House Republican Campaign Committee.

House Democrats now have a 104-99 advantage, giving them more breathing room on close votes and possibly allowing them to elect for a Democratic speaker of the House after failing to do so in 2006.

But during an interview with PolitickerPA.com, Turzai said losing just two seats isn't awful when the top of the ticket loses by 600,000 votes.

"Clearly, Senator Obama had an impressive victory in the state," he said. "I think, in many ways, the (state) Republican Party held its own -- it bucked the national trend."

House Republicans lost just one incumbent, Jay Moyer in the 70th Legislative District, while unseating three Democratic incumbents. Democrats did their damage in open seats in SEPA.

Turzai attributed his caucus' relative success to Gov. Ed Rendell's impact on the state.

"People are tired of the outrageous spending, borrowing and increased taxes Governor Ed Rendell has put on Pennsylvania's table," he said.

Turzai also said voters are tired of the "taint" that has spread over the state under Rendell. He listed a litany of "friends of Ed" he said have been helped by the governor, including gambling and film industry.

"People are tired of it, and a lot of people lay it at his feat," Turzai said.

U.S. Rep. John Murtha's (D-Johnstown) comments Wednesday that western Pennsylvania is a "racist area" drew swift criticism from his re-election opponent, Republican Bill Russell.

Murtha's own 12th Congressional District lies in western Pennsylvania, a fact Russell seized on.

"Once again, Mr. Murtha is using the prestige and platform of his public office to make wild, reckless statement about the people he represents in Congress," Russell said in a statement, adding that it was the "cheapest of cheap shots."

The "once again" Russell mentioned refers to the impetus of his campaign, when Murtha said 12 marines in Iraq killed women and children in cold blood. The 17-term incumbent's remarks helped draw Russell, who was on active duty in the marines until July, to run against Murtha.

This article is by Dan Hirschhorn in Philadelphia and Alex Roarty in Harrisburg.

The murmurs that longtime state Rep. John Perzel (R-Philadelphia) could be vulnerable this year have been coming from increasing numbers of Democrats, and even some Republicans who dislike him.

But state Rep. Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny), who is chairing the GOP's state House campaign committee, has a simple message for those doubters: think again.

"I think everybody thinks John Perzel will get re-elected," Turzai told PolitickerPA.com recently.

"John is not going to be beat," Turzai added. "John is just too well liked, [and has done] too much for his district."

Democrat Rich Costello is hoping to unseat Perzel in the 172nd Legislative District.

This article is by Dan Hirschhorn in Philadelphia and Alex Roarty in Harrisburg.

With control of the state House hanging in the balance this November, Republicans are hoping that their challengers in southeastern Pennsylvania can help return control of the chamber to the GOP. It's an ambitious expectation considering the Democratic trends throughout the Philadelphia suburbs, but one the party says is justified by a strong slate of candidates.

"We have challenger races in southeast that we are convinced we can win," state Rep. Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny), chair of the state House Republican Campaign Committee, told PolitickerPA.com.

The GOP's hopes, party officials say, are further buoyed by the grassroots enthusiasm generated by vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin.

"All of that excitement is filtering down to our local races, too," said Tracey Specter, chair of the Lower Merion and Narberth Republican Committee.

The incumbents being most heavily targeted by the GOP, Turzai said, include state Reps. Rick Taylor (D-Ambler) and Chris King (D-Middletown). Taylor is being challenged by Montgomery County Assistant District Attorney Todd Stephens in the 151st Legislative District, while King faces Frank Farry in the 142nd district.

This story is by Dan Hirschhorn in Philadelphia and Alex Roarty in Harrisburg

With presidential nominees John McCain and Barack Obama set to face-off in the first of three presidential debates tonight, PolitickerPA.com asked local political insiders on both sides of the aisle what they think their candidates need to accomplish in the coming debates.

Here are their responses.

State Rep. Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny County):

"[McCain's] so humble, he must incorporate his personal story. His heroism in Vietnam and his family story - he has to incorporate his message. ... John McCain needs to keep going after spending. People are tired of excess spending, tired of earmarks, tired of corruption that comes with spending."

Lowman Henry, president of the conservative Lincoln Institute:

"Simply be calm, be reassuring, be in command and steady in tone of voice. Let his experience and knowledge on foreign affairs shine through. ... Obama tends to talk a lot in generalities. McCain needs to do what he did at the Saddleback Forum, and if he does that, I think he'll end up being the clear winner of the debate."

U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-Montgomery County):

"[Obama needs to] be as clear as he can be about what he believes in and what he will do that will really make a difference in [voters'] lives. Point out, correctly, that John McCain is for four more years of President Bush's policies. I think Sen. Obama is perfectly positioned to do well in this debate. He is articulate, he's clear, and he looks presidential.

Larry Ceisler, Democratic political consultant:

"[Obama needs to] show that he has the experience to be president of the United States, and that he carries himself like a commander in chief. Experience is McCain's issue, so if Obama can communicate that he has the experience and judgment requisite to be president and he can carry that off one on one with McCain, that's what he needs to do."