In a not particularly surprising development, independent candidate Nick Troiano announced he is entering the race for Pennsylvania’s Tenth Congressional District against GOP incumbent Rep. Tom Marino.
Troiano first dipped his toe into the race when he created an exploratory committee last February. Then, a few weeks ago Troiano and Marino got into a dispute over Social Security.
The Independent is currently 24 years old, but will turn the Constitutional minimum 25 years of age for House members in June. He co-founded the group “The Can Kicks Back”, which focuses on reducing the national debt and was the source of Marino’s accusations that Troiano will harm senior’s Social Security benefits.
“I am running for Congress because I refuse to accept the status quo of continued partisan gridlock and special interest corruption in Washington: a country in decline,” Troiano declared at his campaign kickoff at the Milford Diner.
The first-time candidate’s press release contained statements of praise from his political advisor Russell Verney, who worked on Ross Perot’s influential independent presidential campaigns in 1992 and 1996, and former Senator Alan Simpson (R-WY).
Sen. Simpson served as co-chair of the Simpson-Bowles Commission to reduce the debt and worked with “The Can Kicks Back” as part of that effort.
“For several years now, Nick has been standing up to those frightened, pandering politicians who have been ‘kicking the can down the road’ for the sole sake of their own reelection,” said Senator Simpson. “He’s a good one!”
The campaign pointed to a March JMC Analytics poll that showed 76% of voters were open to supporting an independent candidate as proof of their ability to win. An important caveat, however, is that while voters generally may say they want an independent it is not yet clear that they want this independent. It is notoriously difficult to beat congressional incumbents even with party support and name recognition, without them the climb becomes even steeper.
One indication of whether Troiano has what it takes to win will be his ability to make the November ballot. In order for an independent candidate to qualify they must collect signatures equivalent to 2% of the votes that the leading vote getter won in the previous election for the seat. The campaign’s performance in this endeavor will likely say a lot about whether they have a chance to unseat Tom Marino.
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8 Responses
I definitely don’t have a vote in this district but was curious to see what this was all about. If you check out his campaign website, he has absolutely no clear platforms. A lot of them are vague goals that aren’t really disputable or fancy wording that doesn’t mean much. As a millenial myself (and I hate the term), I’d be disappointed if this was our first “representative” in Congress.
To the commenter “Pike Independent”:
If you are from Pike County, you may know me. Drop me an email, or call me after you read a bit about Marino: http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/house-gop-picks-ethically-challenged-freshmen-judiciary-committee
Once Marino’s cover-up on his activities in support of his casino friend was exposed he stopped talking about it. Good idea, since there was no way to reconcile the Marino version with the facts.
That link addresses some of his professional ethics, Marino’s personal ethics may be even worse. Another commenter noted that Marino has been diagnosed and treated for cancer. After Marino was diagnosed, and dealing with his own medical issues, he made sure to criticize the the guy that he was challenging, the now former congressman, for missing a House vote that was not in jeopardy, to be at the bedside of his wife, who had recently been diagnosed with cancer, and undergoing early treatment. If Marino had not known, or had apologized, it could have been forgiven, but Marino never backed down. This is the kind of guy you want to represent you? A guy that hides his own illness and lacks any sympathy for his opponent’s family who were struggling with the similar medical issues? That says enough about him for me.
As for you being an independent, sympathetic toward those that struggled when young, let us know who you voted for in the 2012 presidential election. (I know, Mitt had it pretty tough as a kid. Right.)
I agree that Pike Independent has too much time to attack this young man. There is a Democrat in the race and Marino’s camp surely doesn’t want a conservative like Troiano to pull votes away.
But while PI touts Marino’s tough childhood, the congressman hasn’t done so badly for himself as an adult connected to Louis deNaples, who had been accused of making campaign contributions in attempt to get a gaming license, later was also the subject of a grand jury probe into his ties to organized crime. Just weeks after resigning from the US Attorney’s office under a cloud of controversy, Marino actually went to work for DeNaples as his personal attorney.
There is also the matter of Marino’s health, a matter now of published-public knowledge. He survived kidney cancer in 1999, had the rest of his kidney removed in 2009, and then had tumors show up in the remaining kidney in 2012. Unlike many uninsured at the time, he had government health coverage that allowed him to have it taken care of at the Cleveland Clinic. We all sincerely hope he is well now, but kidney cancer isn’t a common cold and there was no disclosure of even this in 2010 when he first ran.
Marino’s camp seems worried, although with the 10th district gerrymander flowing across 20% of Pennsylvania in order to avoid opposition from those pesky D’s and I’s they shouldn’t be. It makes you wonder what else might be going on that no one wants to discuss.
So why all the attention on Troiano?
i think pike independent works for tom marino and clearly has too much time on his hands for someone who works for a congressman…
Nick,
I liked your appearance on FOX NEWS, but Fox let you down by not giving any way to contact or donate to your fine effort.
Please send me info on how to donate $200 to your campaign.
In return, I ask that you educate yourself by reading the first 3 paragraphs at the Magnesium Online Library, http://www.MgWater.com
So any return email doesn’t get lost in the spam, please put in the “subject” line of your email the word “MAGNESIUM”.
Best Wishes,
Paul Mason, Mg Librarian
http://www.MgWater.com
I support you.
The local residents of Pike County see Nick as nothing more than an annoyance. He knows nothing about local politics or the local community and is completely disconnected from the reality of Pike County or the 10th Congressional District. Nick lives in his parents townhouse and is supported by them. He has no clue what the real world looks like and is exactly what is WRONG with Washington.
There are already enough people in Washington who are career politicians that have never worked a real day in their life and have no idea what everyday people back in their districts face every day. Nick fits that definition perfectly!
I was no supporter of Congressman Marino’s when he was first elected to office and I don’t agree with all of his votes but I know that he is representing the people that sent him to Washington and I respect him for that. Marino was brought up in a blue collar home {Nick had a privileged upbringing and drove a nice new BMW to high school}, Marino started off working in a factory as a baker to support his wife and family {Nick went off to Washington, D.C. to his fancy school}, and Marino went on to work his way through law school. Marino became District Attorney and eventually the U.S. Attorney for our area.
What has Nick accomplished other than doing well in high school and college and being involved in some after school activities and “political” organizations that accomplished nothing? How could Nick ever cast a vote in Congress with any understanding of how it will impact every day people back in his district when he has never owned a home, raised a family, worked on a farm or in a factory, struggled to pay the bills, or the many other every day challenges faced by all of us that he has never faced.
I know Nick and I respect his courage but I fear that arrogance may be getting in the way at this point in time. As a young Independent from Milford, PA, I will be casting my vote for Tom Marino and actively supporting him during the campaign.
In order for an independent candidate to qualify they must collect signatures equivalent to 10% of the votes that the leading vote getter won in the previous election for the seat.
How many signatures would he need? Where is he getting the money for the gatherers since he won’t have any party backing.