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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Monday, April 25, 2016

Mattei Waging Write-In Against Emrick

I am more than a little disappointed to see that State Rep. Joe Emrick has no opposition in tomorrow's primary, and that no Democrat sought his party's nomination. Dave Mattei, a Nazareth insurance agent and former New Jersey State Trooper, must have been upset, too. But unlike me, he is doing something about it, and has formally announced his write-in campaign in the Democratic Primary tomorrow.

Mattei is asking Democrats in the 137th PA House District to write him in for Representative in the General Assembly, where there is currently no candidate on the Democratic Primary ballot. He needs to get at least 300 write-in votes to win the Democratic nomination and challenge Joe Emrick on the November ballot, and he has knocked on several hundred doors over the past two weeks to let Democrats know.

Dave Mattei opened the Farmers Insurance agency in Nazareth four years ago and serves on the board of the Nazareth-Bath Regional Chamber of Commerce. He recently moved to downtown Nazareth after several years in Washington Township and more than a decade in Lehigh Township, arriving in Pennsylvania after his first career as a New Jersey State Trooper.

Earlier this month, Mattei earned the “Spirit of Nazareth” award for his dedication to the local community. He helps regularly with events, volunteers at the weekly “Loaves and Fishes” soup kitchen, and recently rebuilt the Nazareth’s nativity scene with all parts and labor donated.

Mattei is tired of the partisan obstructionism and gridlock in Harrisburg that prevented a budget compromise, leaving Pennsylvanians nine months later with a budget that still does not balance, nor addresses the problems of restoring school funding or responsibly lowering property taxes.

Though Mattei has been registered with no party affiliation since locating in Pennsylvania two decades ago, he finds himself increasingly frustrated with the Republican legislature’s unwillingness to negotiate a compromise on key issues that affect nearly all Pennsylvanians. The first compromise budget proposal with a bipartisan majority was only blocked by Emrick’s Speaker of the House quick gaveling the session closed days before Christmas, and it nearly passed in spite of no support from Lehigh Valley Republicans.

“Joe Emrick is part of the problem, and I’m ready to be part of the solution,” Mattei said. “Residents from the Bangor area of the Slate Belt to Nazareth and the Easton suburbs deserve a leader, one who will reach across party lines to find broader compromise to do the business of Pennsylvania.”

To avoid a challenge that would force him to answer tough questions about his record and failure to compromise in Harrisburg, Republican Joe Emrick is trying to block any opposition for November by sending a glossy mailer to Democrats asking them to please write him in. Doing so would only have one purpose -- to prevent voters of the 137th District from having a choice in November.

Democrats in the 137th who want an honest discussion of what’s been going on (or rather, the dysfunction) in Harrisburg should write in DAVE MATTEI at this Tuesday’s Primary.

Because I've already voted absentee, I am unable to give Mattei a vote. But I ask every Democrat in the Nazareth - Palmer - Slate Belt district to do so.

Emrick has got to go. He is a poster boy for a complete lack of transparency in government.  I also understand that his constituent service is horrible because he refuses to give people more than three minutes of his time.

38 comments:

Anonymous said...

Time for both Emrick and Marcia Hahn to go! Two dirt bags!

Anonymous said...

It's Nazareth. In Nazareth you are not a Democrat or a Republican. You are either a Holy Family Club member or a Vigilance Hose member. The power goes to the club that has the highest ranked public official holding court at their bar. Favors are granted to that club's members, tickets are voided, DUI's are not prosecuted.

Scott Armstrong said...

Anyone who thinks the Republicans are the problem in Harrisburg is either a partisan Democrat or not paying attention.

Scott Armstrong said...

I guess it is safe to assume that when the retired state trooper speaks of "compromise" he means tax increases. So if you think you are not giving enough of your income to Harrisburg, and that more money is just what the doctor ordered to make the trains run on time then do cast a write in vote for Mattei.

Anonymous said...

Wonder if a retired state trooper in NJ has the same sweet pension? our state employees do?

Anonymous said...

Republicans are so full of anger and hatred. Only Democrats care. Make your vote count for something good.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Gotta' love the apersions at someone for putting his life on the line, day after day. The only people who would do that are partisan Republicans or are not paying attention.

Anonymous said...

Dave Mattei will garner the 300 plus write in's he needs. Emrick is a slug and a mere pawn in the bigger Republican game in Harrisburg. Emrick will be exposed between now and November for what he is..a do nothing representative. Enough already. Off with his head!

Anonymous said...

Selling insurance is dangerous?

Anonymous said...

I'm not going to be emotionally blackmailed into voting for someone simply because he was a cop in the past - but wants to pass Democrat legislation in the future.

Thanks for trying all the same, Slick.

Bernie O'Hare said...

If you want to speak of a "retired state trooper" as though it's a bad thing, that's on you, Not-so-Slick. Or should I say partisan Republican who will back a bad state rep simple because he is an R? And I believe he has a pension, too.

Anonymous said...

Bernie Can registered Republicans write in Mattei tomorrow?

Bernie O'Hare said...

Yes, but you'll have to write him in as an R.

Anonymous said...

It's not the Republicans that are the problem in Harrisburg.

It's a Governor called Wolf that is the problem.

Anonymous said...

Wolf is the solution and he can not succeed on his own. Now the people will speak and give him the help he needs to undo the Corbett/R party destruction of public education in this state. Off with their heads!

Anonymous said...

The solution is not increasing or passing more taxes on the residents of Pennsylvania.

The solution is to live within the revenue already generated and to reduce the spending of the Commonwealth. This is something abhorrent to Democrats.

Anonymous said...

How about we tax the frackers bud?

Anonymous said...

The corporate polluters!

Anonymous said...

Simple fairness dictates that government must not raise taxes on families struggling to pay their bills.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"The solution is to live within the revenue already generated and to reduce the spending of the Commonwealth. This is something abhorrent to Democrats."

You have no right to make that kind of broad generalization, just as I have no right to portray Republicans as unsympathetic assholes who hate the poor. I am a Democrat. Many of my kind support more limited spending within our means. Let's drop the polemics already.

My opposition to Emrick has nothing to do with his ideology. It has everything to do with his lack of transparency or accountability. He is a bad state rep who does not like people and tries to get rid of them as soon as he can. You can see what kind of sneak he is by the way he laundered a campaign contribution to Mako thru another State Rep. He did not even file a courtesy copy of his pre-primary until I raised holy hell. This is without his politics, with which I largely disagree. But I can support someone with whom I often disagree if he is transparent, accountable and actually cares about the people he serves. I can support Rs like Dent or even Mario Scavello. Not Emrick. And I am extremely disappointed in Marcia Hahn.

Bernie O'Hare said...

And I'll agree that Wolf is a big part of the problem.

Anonymous said...

Yea Bernie...you're right here too.

Anonymous said...

Emrick is an arrogant ego dirtbag. He will be gone as he thinks people aren't talking and he is in for a surprise as they are and his attitude sucks and he is gonna be voted out. he couldn't hold Richie Grucela's jock strap. Emrick is the next Gruppo being bounced out. He is an asshole although his staff are good hard working people that really do care about us folks-

Anonymous said...

Emrick would be hard pressed to compete with Michael Schlossberg. He just oozes being what leaks out of it...

Scott Armstrong said...

10:40,

I was crushed in the election because anyone with common sense loses here in the moron capital of the world. Look who they elect and re-elect. It is no shame to lose an election here.

Anonymous said...

QUESTION # 1... What has Emerick accomplished while in office?

Anonymous said...

@11:49 Helped to stop Wolf from raising your taxes.

slate belt pol said...

Joe " Mr. Div. 3 football " Emrick is the worst rep. we ever had! The only good thing he has done, was to retain Kathy Melnick in his Mt. Bethel office. But then again, she was hired by Rich Grucela- who was one of the best we ever had. If Grucela hadn't retired, this useless rep. never would've won this seat.

Anonymous said...

I agree. Joe Emrick is the worst state rep we have ever had. he doesn't give a rats ass about the district. Just padding his pension.

Anonymous said...

Interesting observations about an admittedly stuck-in-gear legislature, but any comments about an egomaniacal "tax-em until they have no more money" joke in the Governor's chair must have been accidentally mssent elsewhere. And I guess the two almost one-hour one-on-one constituent meetings I am familiar with must have been with someone other than Rep. Emrick.

Anonymous said...

QUESTION # 1... What has Emerick accomplished while in office?

ANSWER: Stood up and helped defeat the massive tax increases proposed by the most liberal governor in America. Meanwhile this guy moves here from Jersey so his state police pension isn't taxed, property taxes are lower and he want to join the wolfpack and raise our taxes. No thanks.

Anonymous said...

Without knowing the retired troop I am banking on the fact that he leans right due to his background and his escape from NJ (taxes, gun laws, etc - liberal societal blight). He's registering as a democrat to get in the game but his roots will be his roots. I could easily vote for him knowing that his liberal plantation masters will despise his unwillingness to blindly accept their path (taxes, gun laws, etc). I'm game.

Anonymous said...

The teabaggers can only swing one way. You folks need the Koch brothers to write you a new script.

Anonymous said...

He doesn't treat his staff very good either. Let's a good worker go but keeps a lazy one

Anonymous said...

Emrick is a tool and nothing more. Nearly six years worth of nothing to show. All he does is collect his money and hide from the public and when he does appear it is an arrogant rant and little else. Need the people of Nazareth to set this thing straight. Enough of Do Nothing Joe!

Anonymous said...

Did I miss something here, where are our Democratic candidates and or current members of office are the best thing since sliced bread. Yes I"m sure you think that.. Once they get in office they are all the same and we can continue to call each other names until the system changes with term limits. But let's elect a guy with NJ principles to boot. Come on folks you might as well elect Dave H. I heard he gets things done!
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QUESTION # 1... What has Emerick accomplished while in office?

ANSWER: Stood up and helped defeat the massive tax increases proposed by the most liberal governor in America. Meanwhile this guy moves here from Jersey so his state police pension isn't taxed, property taxes are lower and he want to join the wolfpack and raise our taxes. No thanks.

Anonymous said...

His name is spelled..EMRICK!..you tool! And yes..he is one also!

Anonymous said...

Give me a former trooper over a local football hero anyday!