Nurse waging write-in campaign for congressional seat
A Mercersburg nurse is waging a write-in campaign for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Congressional 9th District seat in Tuesday’s primary.
Karen Ramsburg, a registered Independent, said that she is hoping that both Republicans and Democrats will help in her campaign to offer an alternative to incumbent, U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster, R-Hollidaysburg, in the fall election.
“We need a choice,” she said during an interview on Friday. “And, I’m hoping to be that choice.”
Initially, Ramsburg said that she would collect the needed 8,000 signatures to secure a spot on the November ballot as an Independent candidate, but after conferring with the state election bureau and others, she decided that it may result in an uphill and costly legal battle and ultimately prevent her candidacy.
“Independents have been taken to court and bankrupted, and I think Shuster would do whatever was necessary to keep me off the ballot,” she said.
Shuster’s only challenger for the Republican nomination — Travis Schooley of Waynesboro, Franklin County — was removed after a Commonwealth Court judge struck more than 100 names from his nomination petition.
No Democrats are seeking the party nomination for the realigned district that will include all of Fayette County beginning in January.
Ramsburg said that she has disagreements with both the Democratic and Republican parties and believes that Congress is in need of independent thinkers that are not doing the bidding for corporate America, like Shuster.
“We are like night and day on every single issue,” she said of her potential challenger. “He’s the congressman for the 1 percent. He’s for the corporations. He protects their interest.
“I would not take a dime from any corporation because you can not represent the people if you take money from corporations because you would be doing their bidding,” she added.
Ramsburg said that until jobs with livable wages are created, the national deficit will not be reduced and the Republican answer to privatize certain aspects of government or cut taxes for the rich, are not the answers.
“They are intentionally trying to bankrupt all the lucrative parts of government so they can privatize everything,” she said.
In order to garner support, Ramsburg said that she has attended both Democratic and Republican functions, including conservative Tea Party rallies and Democratic dinners.
At an event in Indiana, labor union members gave her a standing ovation after sharing her support for the Employee Free Choice Act.
“I believe that everyone should have a right and a say in the decisions that affect their lives,” she said. “If there is no democracy in the workplace, there’s no democracy.”
Ramsburg said that her 18 years as a nurse and as a mother and author, has afforded her real-life experience to take to Washington, D.C., if elected.
“We need a change, and making our politics work for all Americans,” she said.
A minimum of 1,000 write-in votes are needed to appear on the ballot in the fall, said Ramsburg. Shuster also could also launch a campaign to have Democrats cast write-in ballots.
“At that point, I would also have to have more votes than he receives,” she said.
On Tuesday, Ramsburg said that she will be at the polls in North Union and South Union townships.
“I hope to meet many people there and to get their support,” she said.
Her website can be accessed at http://ramsburg4congress.com.