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Hetz to run for Senate seat

By Janice Maruniak For The 4 min read

Although the state’s U.S. Senate race this year boils down to a challenge between the two major party candidates who have years of political experience, Socialist Party leaders are seeking to clear the way for candidate Stanley Hetz in his bid for the Senate. It may be difficult, though, for the minor party candidate to gain ballot access, as Hetz, a single 33-year-old Smithfield resident, has until Aug. 1 to obtain 67,070 signatures and submit his nominating petitions for the November ballot.

Pennsylvania ballot access laws require minor parties to obtain signatures representing 2 percent of the largest vote total in the prior statewide election.

“That’s a lot of signatures,” Hetz said, noting he isn’t sure just how many he currently has. “But they’re (Socialist Party) working on it.”

The Socialist Party of Pennsylvania did not return a phone call requesting the number of signatures Hetz currently has.

The Socialist Party formerly nominated Hetz in May to run for the Senate seat that has incumbent Republican Sen. Rick Santorum’s contest with Democrat Robert P. Casey Jr., the state treasurer, generating national interest.

Hetz, who works at Sears in Morgantown, W.Va., scheduling home improvement appointments, never has run for a political office before and has not done any campaign fund-raising for the current election.

“There is no way that I am going to be able to go out and spend enough money to beat out a Santorum or a Casey,” Hetz said. “So, basically this is just an opportunity to go out and spread my ideas and let people hear about some of the things that I’m pushing for.”

Hetz mentioned he is the “working man’s candidate,” and that he is promoting more worker rights and civil liberties.

In a recent press release Hetz stated that “most people would be surprised to learn that the Socialist Party USA’s platform calls for a minimum wage of $15 per hour, indexed to the cost of living. The party’s platform also calls for a 30-hour work week at no loss of pay, with six weeks’ annual paid vacation, the right of retirement at age 55, and a minimum annual retirement income of $25,000 per year, tax free and protected from inflation by cost-of-living increases.”

Hetz said he believes workers should get paid extra money for working weekends, including time and a half on Saturday and double time on Sunday, and that they should be paid overtime for any time worked over eight hours in one shift.

“I believe that there should be a universal social security where everybody gets a basic income so that a modest decent life is guaranteed to all,” Hetz said. Another idea that Hetz favors is improving the country’s Freedom of Speech laws.

“It’s a shame our freedom of speech is being eroded like it is,” Hetz said.

“This is what makes America so special. People should speak their minds. If we lose that, how are we any different than any other country?”

Hetz only recently became involved with the Socialist Party by joining earlier this year. He was a registered Democrat prior to changing parties.

“I’m very interested in third parties,” he said.

“I like to keep up with what they are doing and what political parties from all over the spectrum are doing.

“I don’t think that people are hearing all the viewpoints that are out there,” he added. “There are a lot of things out there that are being said that we just don’t hear about. Whether we agree with them or not, we can’t make an informed decision on things if we don’t hear all the alternatives.”

He plans to promote his platform on radio and television broadcasts, but did not indicate when those would be held. He noted he would like to debate any and all candidates if possible.

“I’m not picky on the format,” Hetz said. “I just want to be able to debate and discuss the issues.”

Hetz said that if the required number of signatures is not obtained by the deadline, he will run for the Senate as a write-in candidate.

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