Bill Russell: The man who could topple John Murtha
My syndicated column today spotlights the upstart candidacy of Republican newcomer Bill Russell, who is challenging corruptocrat John Murtha in Pennsylvania. I’ve been writing about Bill since last fall and told you about seeing him last month at the Pennsylvania Leadership Conference, where he was warmly received by the conservative grass-roots. Last week’s second quarter fundraising reports brought amazing news: Russell outraised Murtha 6 to 1–despite not being able to actively campaign while he complete his military service (Russell is on active duty until Aug. 1). This is a miraculous counterinsurgent campaign–and an opportunity for conservative bloggers to make a difference. Campaign manager Peg Luksik told me that readers of this blog helped raised thousands of dollars for Russell when I linked his campaign page last month. As I told the RightOnline convention in Austin over the weekend, Russell is shattering the MSM narrative that the entrenched Murtha is unbeatable. And he is relying on the Internet to spread the word when he hits the great wall of MSM silence. Join the ttp://www.ldnews.com/news/ci_9923553“>Russell Brigade and help effect real change!
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The man who could topple John Murtha
by Michelle Malkin
Creators Syndicate
Copyright 2008
A jaw-dropping political miracle may be on the horizon. No, I’m not talking about the second coming of the Obamessiah. I’m talking about the long-deserved comeuppance of troop-smearing, pork-feasting, scandal-tainted Democratic Rep. Jack Murtha of Pennsylvania.
The 18-term congressman’s challenger, staunch conservative Republican newcomer William Russell, raised nearly $670,000 in the second fundraising quarter. Earmark king Murtha scraped together a measly $119,000. Russell’s underdog campaign bested Murtha without the perks of incumbency, national name recognition, big PAC donations or mainstream media support.
Even more amazing: The 45-year-old Russell, a Desert Storm veteran, former Army lieutenant colonel and Army reservist who survived the Sept. 11 terrorist attack on the Pentagon, was not even publicly campaigning during the quarter. He is on active duty with the Army until after Aug. 1 and is barred from actively campaigning until then.
If all that didn’t make this enough of an inspiring David and Goliath story: In February, a Pennsylvania judge ruled that Russell had failed to collect enough signatures to make the primary ballot. But Russell refused to give up on his goal of permanently redeploying Murtha from his entrenched seat of power in Washington. The GOP neophyte persevered on a shoestring budget and won more than 4,000 write-in votes in the spring to earn a spot on the general election ballot. According to Russell’s campaign manager and veteran GOP activist Peg Luksik, the bulk of contributions from about 16,000 donors in the second quarter were less than $50.
Russell’s clear on where he stands. No doubt Barack Obama would label him bitter and clingy. “I am a Conservative,” he says in his defining campaign statement. “I believe in the sovereignty and security of this one nation, under God. I believe the primary role of government is to provide for the common defense and a legal framework to protect families and individual liberty. … I believe that no one owes me anything just because I live and breathe.”
The excitement and buzz around Russell stand in stark contrast to grass-roots disgust on the right with Beltway Republicans who continue to push the party to the left in a brain-dead attempt to “rebrand” the GOP. He has united pro-troops families, social conservatives, fiscal conservatives, Reagan Democrats and Independents fed up with Murtha’s culture of corruption dating back to his Abscam days in the 1980s. Murtha was not indicted in the infamous bribery probe, but he was videotaped entertaining a $50,000 bribe from undercover FBI agents posing as emissaries for Arab sheiks trying to enter our country illegally.
“The incredible story about Bill’s campaign is that the $15 and $25 contributions are coming in from all over Pennsylvania and every corner of the country,” Luksik noted on the Russell Brigade website (www.russellbrigade.com). “This is K-Street versus Main Street. These are patriotic families expressing support for soldiers, sailors and Marines, and people saying they’ve had enough of the old ‘pay-to-play’ culture in the Capitol. That’s what’s fueling this campaign.”
Russell decided to enter politics after hearing Murtha’s slanderous 2006 accusations that Marines in Haditha “overreacted because of the pressure on them, and they killed innocent civilians in cold blood.” As I reported in June, seven Marines have been cleared or won case dismissals in the Iraq war incident Murtha recklessly adjudicated in the court of public opinion — with willing mainstream journalists at The New York Times, MSNBC, and in the world press swinging their nooses.
Perhaps that complicity explains the great media wall of silence around Russell’s upstart campaign. Republican Bill Russell offers ethical, freedom-enhancing, pro-responsibility, anti-retreat, unapologetically conservative change they don’t want to believe in.
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Trackbacks
- Michelle Malkin Talks Bill Russell | PAWaterCooler.com
- The Saloon dot net
- Obama; will his Legions Fall? « Riggword Weblog
- The Conservative Revolution » Blog Archive » Conservative Bill Russell takes on John Murtha in PA 12
- The man who may slay the Murtha dragon « The Daley Gator
- CitizenCaucus.org» national news » Bill Russell: The man who could topple John Murtha
- Hot Air » Blog Archive » Video: Haditha Marine’s father unloads on Murtha
- Video: A Message to John Murtha from a Haditha Marine’s father | Infidels Are Cool
- Michelle Malkin » Boot Murtha: GOP newcomer Bill Russell’s campaign revs up
- Bill Russell’s Campaign to Boot Murtha « The Foxhole
- UPDATE: Somerset PA Saturday 2 August 2008 1000 Hours | TALON
- Boot Murtha « Something should go here, maybe later.
- Michelle Malkin » John Murtha: My constituents are RAAAACIST
- Michelle Malkin » Smear merchant John Murtha does it again; Pennsylvania, you have a choice!
- Racist, er, Redneck Congressman Jack Murtha Still a Douchebag « The Dude’s Blog
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Categories: Haditha, John Murtha
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They also said that tool Tom Daschle couldnt be defeated. He is now in the where are they now file.
Tom who? /sarc.
Christian Soldier already mentioned Tom Manion. Another vet running as a Republican in Doylestown, PA against a Dem incumbent.
Tom is a retired Marine Colonel who lost his son in the Iraq War. Another good man the likes of Russel and West.
http://votemanion.stream-data.com/about/
I sent him support. One of only about three out of state that I supported. I hope he topples that *person”
I was very excited to donate money to this candidate the first time Michelle brought him to our attention. I would like to do more and proabably will be able to in September. I want to find more candidates like this and support them. I live in a very safe GOP district in MI with NO opposition that I know of so I plan to find these gems and help support them this fall.
Karen # 98
You are so lucky to live in a safe GOP district in MI (my home state)–
If you check my post # 54 – you’ll find a list of true conservatives.
I have no choice but to support people of honor from other states – I live in CA!!
CS
To all true patriots – here- My list will continue to grow – I have a couple of others to check out.
I hate not being able to comment from work anymore have been chomping at the bit all day. I am finally excited about a candidate this election cycle to bad he isn’t running for my district. We just might have to send a few bucks his way when we get a little financially healthier before while it can do some good. Nothing will please me more than to see the corrupt bloated Murtha thrown on the street to look for a real job especially by a veteran and true conservative. Wish we could more like him to step up to the plate to cleanse this country of our career politicians.
I’ve been looking for a site like that. Not just to jump on them for missteps, but a thanks also for looking out for me and to put my two cents worth in. I can’t always make the phone call. I would like the option of fax and/or e-mail.
These people represent us and they need to start doing it.
I’m busy with work too but is there anything I can do to help?
Hmm, that sounded demanding.
What I meant was, I would love to see a site like that and what I would like to see on it. And I am volunteering to help make it happen.
Also, the h was left out of the http in the ldnews link. Try that and it works.
A site worth checking out – House Conservatives Fund.
Another good one – Iraq Veterans for Congress.
I would so love to see Lt. Col Russell take an incumbent’s seat. I am not voting for any incumbent and I am really pushing a grassroots effort for term limits. Check out your candidates for their positions and, hopefully, you’ll find that some new Republican newbie hopefuls are NOT RINOs, but support real conservative positions.
Ouch. Maybe your guy isn’t in quite the financial position everybody here would hope.
He’s a client of BMW Direct.
I noticed that all of the posters beneath the article you linked to never once mention Murtha’s horrendous record of bribery and corruption. Take a hike, chapoutier – your guy is dirty and you know it!
heard ya the first time :p