Congressman Bill Shuster (R-Hollidaysburg) kicked off his re-election bid with a bus tour highlighting what he is calling his real leadership and real results for the 9th District.
During an exclusive interview with The Daily Herald, the congressman said he expects President George W. Bush to endorse him during the campaign.
“The president is endorsing me. It’s just not official yet,” said Shuster. “I’ve worked closely with the president on a number of issues. I traveled with him just last week to Harrisburg. Of course, Pennsylvania is going to be key to Bush’s own re-election.”
The word comes just a day after some Altoona city leaders decided to endorse Shuster challenger, Michael DelGrosso.
Shuster was asked if he has considered debating DelGrosso and indicated he hasn’t ruled out the idea.
“We haven’t really got into that yet. We are not ruling it out. We have to see how the campaign goes,” said Shuster. “I have a full-time job, I’m a United States Congressman and I’ve got to fulfill those duties. I have to get back here and meet with the folks and I have two children I need to spend some time with them.”
The congressman’s re-election effort started this morning with an event at the Blair County Convention Center. Shuster and his supporters and some members of the media then boarded what his campaign referred to as the ‘Leadership Express’ to tour the district.
The bus tour will take the congressman through 15 counties in the next three days.
“I am excited about the opportunity to kick-off my campaign in the 15 counties I am privileged to represent in the United States Congress,” Shuster said prior to the tour. “I believe that over the past three years, I’ve offered the residents of the 9th District real leadership and real results, and I am looking forward to going back to Washington to represent the people of this District for another term.”
Congressman Shuster indicated the tour is the first part in what will be an aggressive campaign to return to Washington.
“This kickoff tour represents the first component in what will be an aggressive campaign to highlight my record of results in Washington,” said the congressman. “I am looking forward to campaigning throughout the district and talking not only about my real results, but also my plans to move the 9th District forward.”
Mr. Shuster won a special election for his seat on May 15, 2001. The seat had been held by his father, Bud Shuster, who resigned on Feb. 3, 2001.
The 9th District, is the second largest geographical district in Pennsylvania and includes the counties of Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Clearfield, Cumberland, Fayette, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Indiana, Juniata, Mifflin, Perry and Somerset. The bus tour will include all those counties and a stop in Westmoreland County this afternoon.
Shuster resides in Hollidaysburg with his wife and their two children. After graduating from Everett High School in Bedford County, he attended Dickinson College in Carlisle, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and History. He later earned a Masters of Business Administration from American University in Washington, D.C.
Before beginning his career as a businessman, he worked on his family’s farm in Bedford County. After earning his MBA from American University, Shuster was a manager for the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Corporation, and then served as a District Manager for Bandag, Incorporated. Prior to election to the House of Representatives, Congressman Bill Shuster was a small business person and owned and operated an automobile dealership in East Freedom.
Shuster serves on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and on the Subcommittees on Highways and Transit; Water Resources and Environment; and Aviation. On the Committee on Small Business, he serves on the Subcommittee on Rural Enterprises, Agriculture and Technology. Congressman Bill Shuster also serves on the Army Caucus, the Depot Caucus, and the Rural Health Care Coalition.
Shuster is facing competition in the April 27th Republican Primary from challenger Michael DelGrosso from Tipton. DelGrosso revealed his plans to run as far back as April of last year when he filed paperwork with the Federal Elections Committee to establish a committee to run for the 9th Congressional District seat.
DelGrosso is a 1988 graduate of Bellwood-Antis High School and a 1994 graduate of the United States Naval Academy. He is the son of Fred and Cathy DelGrosso of the DelGrosso Foods family. DelGrosso’s campaign said the candidate is expected to knock on his 9,000th door to visit one on one with residents in the district.
Over the last several months battles between the Shuster and DelGrosso camps have already raged over an alleged spying incident in which a former Shuster aide camped outside of DelGrosso’s residence in Tipton. More recently there has been acrimony between the two camps over the use of an “informed ballot poll released by the DelGrosso campaign.
