DeWeese wins, credits grassroots effort

WAYNESBURG - House Majority Leader Bill DeWeese (D-Waynesburg) credited his victory in Tuesday's election to a massive grassroots effort to carry his message directly to voters. 

"The United Mine Workers made an extraordinary effort to reach their members," said DeWeese, who represents the 50th District. "Their efforts anchored a far-reaching field organization that included hundreds of volunteers from every walk of life."

Phone banks operated by the United Mine Workers made more than 22,000 phone calls to voters, augmenting the nearly 14,000 phone calls made by other volunteers. In an effort led by the United Mine Workers and managed by Campaign Manager Kevin Warner, the campaign knocked on 15,000 doors. Bill DeWeese himself knocked on 4,462 doors.

The effort was designed to carry to voters the message that Southwestern Pennsylvania has benefited from the thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars of economic development projects Rep. DeWeese brought to the district. It also addressed ethics and reforms.

"My opponent questioned my integrity, but voters who have known me for decades didn't believe his negative campaigning," Rep. DeWeese said. "Our challenge was to reach voters who do not know me. We developed a strong field organization to carry that message to voters, one by one."

According to the Pennsylvania Department of State, DeWeese received 12,523 votes (54.6%) to his opponent's 10,416 (45.4%).

Rep. DeWeese received critical endorsements from the United Mineworkers, the Pennsylvania State Education Association, the AFL-CIO, the Service Employees International Union, the National Rifle Association A plus rating, ABATE, and the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties. The Uniontown Herald-Standard endorsed Rep. DeWeese, saying "DeWeese is positioned to do infinitely more for the 50th District than any freshman Republican legislator can hope to achieve."

Nearly two-dozen state representatives from across Pennsylvania viewed that organization first hand. "Thirty-three years of faithful service trumped one year of rumor and innuendo," said Rep. Mike O'Brien (D-Philadelphia), who visited the 50^th District last week. 

"I wouldn't be walking around with a DeWeese T-shirt on if I didn't believe in his integrity," said Rep. Tim Solobay.

Rep. DeWeese pledged to move forward with an aggressive agenda to expand health care to the uninsured, invest in clean coal and natural gas technology,  

"I want to thank all volunteers, contributors, supporters and, most of all, the voters," said Rep. DeWeese. "Representing Pennsylvanians is a sacred trust. I cherish the privilege and will not disappoint my constituents."