DeWeese reveals re-election campaign
State Rep. Bill DeWeese, the House majority leader, vowed Wednesday to use his experience and seniority to reduce or eliminate property taxes and to bring state money to his district as he announced his candidacy for his 17th term in office. “I’ve been privileged to endure some very exciting times during my career and I feel that the challenges on the horizon to serve working families are plentiful. I will never give up the shoulder-to-the-wheel effort to drastically reduce or eliminate property taxes in Pennsylvania,” said DeWeese, D-Waynesburg. “As the senior ranking person at the budget table, except for the governor, I am able to focus the resources of the keystone state budget on the eight school districts and three counties I’m privileged to represent.”
Before winning his first election in 1976 at age 26, DeWeese served in the U.S. Marines from 1972-75 and said he is the most senior ranking military veteran in the House and Senate.
As the House majority leader, DeWeese, 57, is the highest-ranking legislator from southwestern Pennsylvania.
He graduated from Waynesburg High School in 1968 and from Wake Forest University in 1972.
DeWeese represents the 50th Legislative District, which encompasses all of Greene County, where he lives, Luzerne Township, Brownsville, Masontown, Point Marion and part of German Township in Fayette County and East Bethlehem Township and Centerville in Washington County.
The opponent he defeated in a close 2004 election, Republican Greg Hopkins of Nineveh in Greene County, has announced his plans to run against DeWeese again this year.
Hopkins, who retired from the Arena Football League’s Los Angeles Avengers, received more votes than DeWeese in Greene County, but DeWeese won the election by out gaining Hopkins in Fayette and Washington counties.
“He is a nice fellow, but he doesn’t have any experience in the legislative world or even helping boroughs, school districts, fire companies and senior citizen centers that I’ve been involved with over many years,” DeWeese said.
He said Hopkins has lived in California and New Jersey for the last 12 years and, according to the Greene County elections office, didn’t vote in 12 elections.
“I’m anxious to debate the issues with him,” DeWeese said while doing some door-to-door campaigning in Jefferson Township in Greene County. “I don’t know what his campaign is based on, except a minor league football career.”
He said he already has knocked on 500 doors in the district during the last few weeks.
“I like to think I’m in the prime of vigorous manhood. I go to the gym or swim three, four, five times a week, and I’m ready to campaign and eventually be blessed with an election victory,” DeWeese said. “I’m pounding on doors six days a week, every day but Sunday. “I’m doing what I want to do with my life. I want to be in the public arena.”
The ongoing “bonusgate” investigation will not hurt his chances of winning re-election, DeWeese said.
The state Attorney General’s office is investigating whether $3.6 million in bonuses paid to Democratic and Republic legislative aides in 2005 and 2006 was compensation for illegally doing campaign work on state time.
DeWeese said he is trying to have a planned state prison built in German Township. He said the prison would create 750 jobs.
He said he focuses on health care and education for veterans and issues concerning the Pennsylvania National Guard.
“My opponent thinks Fort Indiantown Gap is the name of a clothing store in Los Angeles,” DeWeese said.
He said he supports gun ownership rights and is a “happy beneficiary of pro-gun support” from the National Rifle Association.
DeWeese said Wayne LaPierre, NRA executive vice president and chief executive officer, presented him with the association’s national Defender of Freedom Award two years ago for supporting gun rights.
He said some of his legislative goals are to help poor uninsured people obtain health care, energy conservation, banning smoking in public places except clubs and small bars and improving deep mine safety laws.