Rep. Gerlach gets his first Dem challenger

A former member of the Philadelphia Inquirer’s editorial board became the first Democrat to challenge Rep. Jim Gerlach (R-Pa.) on Wednesday.

Doug Pike will run for the southeast Pennsylvania seat that is a perennial target for Democrats.
In a statement, Pike emphasized that he is “not a career politician” and said that he “won’t play political games.”

{mosads}“We need to shake up a political system that too often fails to hear our voices, let alone solve urgent problems,” Pike said. “Even in this economic crisis, career politicians are still playing partisan games. They just don’t get it.”

Democrats say Pike may prove to be a formidable candidate. One party insider, who asked to remain anonymous, said Pike is willing to invest $1 million of his own money into the race.

Gerlach has been a top target for Democrats for the past few cycles because his district appears to be trending Democratic. Former President George W. Bush and former Vice President Al Gore both earned 49 percent of the vote in the district in 2000 and Democratic nominee John Kerry carried it with 51 percent in 2004. Last year, President Obama won the district with 58 percent.

Gerlach has proven to be a tough campaigner, though he has continued to win by narrow margins. The Republican first won his seat with 51 percent of the vote in 2002 and repeated that performance in 2004 and 2006. Last year, Gerlach won with 52 percent.

Pike’s announcement also comes as Gerlach continues to consider a run for governor next year. Gerlach has launched an exploratory committee and website, GerlachforPa.com, and some state party insiders have suggested he is leaning toward running.

State Sen. Andy Dinniman and attorney Dan Wofford are other Democrats that are reportedly considering the race. Wofford ran for the seat against Gerlach in 2002.