If the race for Congress in PA-7 weren’t so serious, I would find Kevin Dellicker’s rant of an email last week to be completely laughable. But his statements are either misleading or intentionally deceptive.
There is no doubt that I have very real policy disagreements with Mr. Dellicker. As an American, I’m concerned by the positions he took during this campaign and his failed run for Congress in 2022.
Let’s start with Mr. Dellicker’s complaint about the endorsement I received from Americans For Prosperity (AFP). It seems Mr. Dellicker forgot that he sought AFP’s endorsement. Now that they rejected him, it appears he’s scorned and has chosen to attack AFP directly. Mr. Dellicker also did not mention that I have been endorsed by GOPAC, a conservative organization that has been supportive of President Trump.
The fact that AFP and GOPAC have both endorsed me and my proven, conservative record in the PA House shows I am the only candidate who can unite different factions of today’s Republican Party and am best situated to solidify the support of Republicans through the Primary and General Election.
Mr. Dellicker continued his rant by attacking me for being a dedicated public servant without a military background. It’s a disingenuous attack for him to make for two reasons.
First, let’s look at Mr. Dellicker’s own words from his book: “Don’t get me wrong. There are plenty of great ways to serve your country besides the armed forces… I have no patience for misguided veterans who disparage, disrespect, or denigrate non-veterans just because they never wore the uniform.” This is evidence of an astonishing show of hypocrisy on his part because disparaging, disrespecting, and denigrating my proven and effective service as a conservative State Representative is exactly what Mr. Dellicker is doing.
Second, let’s look at Mr. Dellicker’s record:
Dellicker is on his 3rd attempt at getting into elected office since 2014
Dellicker spent the first 9 years of his career in government as a staff member to liberal Republicans in New York and Pennsylvania
Dellicker claims to be an outsider, but he served as the “Chief Economic Policy Advisor” to the Ridge Administration in Harrisburg that gave the teachers’ union a 25% pension increase, costing taxpayers billions of dollars and driving school property taxes through the roof
For the last 19 years, Dellicker’s consulting business has generated revenue from taxpayer-funded contracts from school districts and local governments (as per his own candidate financial disclosure) - making him a career government contractor personally profiting off taxpayers
In contrast, as a representative elected by my neighbors, I have never voted for a tax increase. I also stood up to my own party to vote no to a gas tax increase, passed important legislation to address illegal immigration, voted for election security measures like Voter ID, and - yes - reformed the pension system that Dellicker broke. Clearly, my neighbors vote based on the belief that what someone does while working on their behalf is what’s most important. On this front, Mr. Dellicker’s record can only be called a failure.
Finally, I take deep offense to Mr. Dellicker twisting my significant differences with him over foreign policy into somehow saying that I am disparaging veterans. I respect the contributions of our veterans and military service members - like my father and grandfather - and Mr. Dellicker. That is why I have a record of supporting veterans’ issues as a legislator, holding special “veterans services hours” in my offices, and authoring the law that created “Startups for Soldiers” - a successful program that has helped thousands of veterans across Pennsylvania as they start new businesses here in the state.
What are our differences on foreign policy? I am opposed to launching new forever wars. I support America First policy positions. By contrast, Mr. Dellicker routinely promotes new U.S. military engagements as a reaction to simmering tensions around the world. In the case of additional funding for the war in Ukraine, Mr. Dellicker has said, repeatedly and on-the-record, that he is supportive, while I am opposed.
38 comments:
Mackenzie was the whip for getting Republicans including himself to give us mail-in balloting (Act 77) and still doesn’t regret it. After destroying our system of voting, he is looking for a promotion? Hell no!
Kevin Dellicker is completely unelectable against Susan Wild. All Kevin does is complain and then whines when anyone challenges him.
I think it’s funny that Kevin had no problem beating up other candidates in 2022 and now he gets called out and starts to cry about it. What he did against Lisa Scheller by refusing to endorse her and then campaigns against her. Grow up Kevin.
Ryan is correct! We have seen this before from Kevin, he is just a hypocrite. I will not be voting for Kevin because he loves to spread falsehoods about anyone who disagrees with him.
Mr. Dellicker lost my vote a long time ago. His true colors have shown.
Looks like Ryan’s Tinder Page photo. Nice.
Baby Ryan…cry, cry, cry.
Ryan is a loser.
What about the abortion vote?
Read Dellicker’s attacks. Read Mackenzie’s reply. Dellicker uses few facts and lots of whining. Mackenzie uses all facts. Mackenzie wins this round (especially on Dellicker hypocrisy over military service) and, if this is the choice, my vote.
I'm voting for Maria, but this guy's a joke. Never had a private sector job, hangs out with mommy, voted for act 77 and to make PA an abortion sanctuary. Also, his campaign workers are literal criminals just look them up. Same team that helped Nancy Aaroe lose.
Ryan proves what a pompous entitled little prick he is with this response. There is no comparison between Kevin and Ryan. Ryan takes a defined benefit Cadillac pension that he voted to take away from teachers, police, and first responders. He’s set for life. The only service Ryan knows about is service to himself.
Kev DaLicker's best days were when he was peeling potatoes in the chair force, he messed with big poppa pump aka the God Bod when he challenged Ĺisa an unforgivable sin, Uhuru!
Mackenzie supported and voted for ballot dumping (Act 77). Rs who complain about ballot harvesting and dumping cannot vote for this fraud. I don't care about a single one of his policy positions. He sold out Republican voters. He's responsible for Rs having lost PA - likely for good. His reasons are weak and immaterial. He should never be a part of Republican politics until he finally has the guts to just change parties - which he will. He's Arlen Specter without the decomposition.
Again, MACKENZIE SUPPORTED AND VOTED FOR BALLOT DUMPING (ACT 77). It's the only thing R voters should be thinking about as they reject Mackenzie. If you vote for Mackenzie, you are stupid and spineless and enjoy losing.
Kevin poses a real threat to Republicans if elected in April.
Waaaah, Ryan. You can’t undo or unsay anything we know you have done or said about Kevin, his family, volunteers and supporters . You (or whoever writes your material) should get the facts straight and stop the malicious attacks. This does not encourage people to vote for you and just more so exhibits why you should never have run for this congressional seat. You have surrounded yourself with “Yes” people. None of you get it but you will when Dellicker wins the primary.
I don’t think Mackenzie makes the points that he thinks he does. I don’t trust politicians who make blanket statements like, “I have never voted for a tax increase.” Sounds like they are motivated by dogma rather than facts.
The same GOPAC that was sued by the FEC. Got to admit, that is a great endorsement
“Following an investigation into an administrative complaint filed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in September 1990, the FEC found probable cause to believe that in 1989 GOPAC qualified as a political committee under the Act, and that, until 1991, GOPAC failed to abide by the Act's registration and disclosure requirements for political committees. This probable cause finding was based on a GOPAC solicitation that urged contributors to help "break the Democrats' stronghold on power" in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The FEC was unable to reach a conciliation agreement with GOPAC and filed this lawsuit on April 14, 1994. The FEC asked the court to impose civil penalties on GOPAC and to require GOPAC to file 1989 and 1990 disclosure reports.”
https://www.fec.gov/legal-resources/court-cases/fec-v-gopac/#:~:text=In%201989%2C%20GOPAC's%20stated%20mission,at%20every%20level%20of%20government.%22
The word of a career politician or the word of a war proven veteran? My vote goes to Dellicker.
Anon 12:10 - Hindsight is great - when Act 77 was passed no one knew that we would experience a worldwide pandemic and that Gov. Wolf, the Secretary of State and the PA Supreme Court would use that to rewrite the law (adding drop boxes, no signature verification, etc.). Your comment also ignores the fact that in 2019 the Trump campaign, yes - the Trump campaign - supported passing Act 77 as they wanted to eliminate straight party voting. If you are saying Hell No! to Ryan because of Act 77 then you have to say Hell No! to Trump.
Dellicker is on record saying that he would not vote to allow abortion in the case of rape or incest - period - full stop.
If Kevin does win the primary, Susan Wild will use her campaign stash and run adds over the summer that will bury Dellicker. Keven will try to "explain" his comment but that takes money that he doesn't and won't have. The Congressional Committee in Washington will take a look at this race and then quickly conclude it is not salvageable and they will then move on. You can't have that kind of statement on the record (and on video) and expect to be able to win the PA-7th. If Kevin is the R nominee then the race for the PA-7th will be over before Labor Day.
A vote for Kevin in the R primary is a vote to send Susan Wild back to Washington for another term. It is that simple. Saying war proven veteran, private sector experience and citizen legislator, etc. over and over won't change that outcome. I know Kevin's supporters don't want to believe that but it is inescapable.
And forget about Maria - her brilliant strategy is to locate her campaign office in Carbon County. A hour drive from where she and most of the primary voters live.
So for better or worse, the only shot at defeating Wild is Ryan.
And you think when Susan Wild pumps $10 million into the Philadelphia media market branding Mackenzie as hating women and pro life that he will win? You’re kidding yourself. This primary is all about rearranging the chairs on the titanic. Ryan is a white, entitled man who’s never worked for anything in his life. You think Susan won’t point that out? Susan will destroy any of them.
It’s alittle trashy that Kevin told people that Ryan doesn’t like veterans just simply because Ryan has a difference in opinion on policy. Who elected Kevin as the spokesperson for veterans?
Anon. 9:31
I didn't say it would be easy - I did say it was the only shot.
Kevin Dellicker is DOA due to his abortion statement. There is no way to get out from under that and he will be the federal version of Doug Mastrianno.
Maria Montero is simply not ready for prime time and will be blasted as being a carpetbagger.
Ryan Mackenzie is pro-life, as you point out, but his positions are more palatable to those that can be persuaded on this issue. Susan Wild will have her money to spend but of the 3 R's I think Ryan is the only one that will be able to get financial support from the NRCC to combat what will be spent for Wild.
What do you see as Kevin's (or Maria's for that matter) path to victory?
KeViN iS A cLoWn
Lisa Scheller deserves an apology for what Kevin did to her.
Again is this the only item important to you?
Guess you still wear her t shirt. She lied and said she had no factories in China when she did and Kevin called her on it. A vindictive woman trying to live her life through Maria.
Lisa Scheller and her former husband Wayne Woodman did more damage to the Lehigh Valley Republican Party than they did to make it stronger. Whatever even happened to Wayne? Disappeared overnight from the Valley. Lisa lost the election all on her own. Kevin would have been a much better candidate.
Ryan’s path to victory is nothing short of laughable. His vote on Act 77 completely alienates him from every Republican conservative voter. Top that with his vote on making Pennsylvania a sanctuary abortion state. If Republican voters are mislead by him on those two votes since he dodges his reasons for his choices, fast forward to the general election against Susan Wild. She will have a field day taking him out and exposing how weak he truly is. The chance of him winning is laughable. He is a legend in his own mind!
I love how people are in here saying Kevin would have been a better candidate than Lisa Scheller in 2022. That is completely delusional. Kevin is/ was for a national abortion ban. He would have lost by the same number as Doug Mastriano. We can argue all day on if Mackenzie can beat Wild, but what I know for sure is that Dellicker will lose to Wild. We need to put our strongest candidate against Wild and it’s not Dellicker. And Montero is running a dead campaign.
Oh God.
You just can’t have it both ways by positioning Ryan as the true conservative while going after Kevin as being too conservative. Ryan will say anything to win. It’s all that matters to him. That’s what happens to career politicians. He is in it for himself and nothing else.
I am voting Montero. These men are full of unelectable baggage. Mackenzie’s entire campaign is run by DC PACs. And Dellicker…The guy has zero campaign and thinks telling his opponents he’s older than them makes him more qualified. What a joke.
If ever a time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in Government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin.
Samuel Adams
I'm voting for Kevin.
A few facts: Mackenzie just put out another Attack on Dellicker, naming his family by names including his sons. He posted a picture and a Map to Kevin Dellicker’s home, that seems a bit threatening! Kevin doesn’t flip flop on his beliefs, he weighs the reasons and consequences of issues and doesn’t say things because it fits the agenda of the room. He gives honest replies. Those of you voting for Montero, do you actually feel she is the most experienced to represent us? I mean she just about breaks down in tears at every event I have seen her at and has changed the nationality of her family depending on the audience she is addressing. Dellicker didn’t say Mackenzie hated Veterans, give me a break! But what Mackenzie did say that his service in the State Legislature was equivalent to Armed Military Forces service! Wow! He may not hate Veterans but he kind of disrespects what they have been through based on his comparison. You have three distinctive choices, A career Politician who go to any length to obtain and keep his Political Career intact, he will make threatening statements to friends and families of the other Candidate, Voted to initiate Mail in Ballots and to Allow PA to be an Abortion Sanctuary State,and not really care about Us. Next a very Attractive woman, who is very excellent in her stage presence, but not really talking about solid experience and seems to have had quite a few jobs in her employment years, shows very little in her financial statements, seems to move around a lot in order for spotlight opportunities. Or a Solid Gentleman, a family man, a devoted husband and Father , who served his Country on 4 Tours and is still Active Military. Passed the largest Tax Break in PA History while working for Governor Ridge. Owns his own business, is well respected , has a Masters in Divinity so he is often called upon to preach in his home church. And refuses to run a dirty campaign, even though his opponent is well practiced in that. He is the only one to match up against Wild, and even she knows it. I find it amusing that most people don’t look at or know the facts when they vote, perhaps that would be a very good practice. It’s not about batting your eyelashes, or that one has ALWAYS been in Political Office, this is not an entitlement, it is real life and we need someone like Kevin Dellicker because he cares about us and not becoming a Career Politician or getting a Part in the Congressional Performance.
Clearly from the comments, They are scared of Montero! Surely, republicans know that Montero is the only candidate to beat Wild.
Kevin and Ryan are both Oompa Loompas. That song plays in my head anytime I see or hear them rant. Maria is the clear choice for this election cycle.
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