Tony Barr

ZULLINGER, Pa. - Congressional hopeful Tony Barr stuck to the core Democratic issues of health care, war and the flailing U.S. economy Monday when he spoke to Franklin County (Pa.) Democrats at the Zullinger Community Center as part of his grassroots campaign to win the 9th Congressional district from incumbent Rep. Bill Shuster, R-Pa. Barr, a resident of and special education teacher in Bedford County, initiated widespread politicking in the 15 counties of the 9th district in July 2007 in hopes of turning the 11 percent of votes he lost to Shuster in 2006.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. -- For the second time in two years, voters in Pennsylvania's Ninth Congressional District will get to chose between incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster and Democratic nominee Tony Barr. Shuster, 47, of Holidaysburg, Pa., is running for his fifth term in the House in the Ninth District. He won the seat in a special election in 2001, succeeding his father, Bud Shuster. He serves on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Barr, 39, of Bedford County, Pa., is a public school teacher who won the 2006 Democratic nomination as a write-in candidate and lost to Shuster in the general election that year.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - For the second time in two years U.S. Representative Bill Shuster appeared to have beaten back a challenge from Democrat nominee Tony Barr in his bid for re-election to the ninth District seat in the House of Representatives. Shuster's margin of victory appears to be at least equal to that of his 2006 race against Barr, but he will be returning to a House that he said will have about 20 fewer Republican seats. In the Senate, he said, the Democrats could have 57 seats, nearly the 60 needed for a filibuster-proof majority.

INDIANA, Pa. (AP) -- Republican presidential candidate John McCain isn't the only one citing the economic crisis as a reason to delay debate plans. Republican U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster of Hollidaysburg is declining an invitation to debate Democratic candidate Tony Barr. The event is scheduled Oct. 12 by the League of Women Voters of Indiana County. Shuster's spokesman, Jeff Urbanchuk, says Congress may need to be dealing with emergency legislation. He says the campaign will look for a debate time after emerging from the crisis.

WAYNESBORO, Pa. -- The Franklin County Democratic Party holds a Jefferson-Jackson dinner every year as a way to remember the founders of the Democratic Party -- Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson. This year's dinner, which was Thursday, was especially important because it served as a way to support Democrats running for office in the upcoming elections and to honor former Franklin County Commissioner Cheryl Plummer. "For Jefferson-Jackson, we're focusing on candidates and local folks," said Beth Shupp-George, chairwoman of the Franklin County Democratic Party.

WAYNESBORO, Pa. - The Franklin County Democratic Party holds a Jefferson-Jackson dinner every year as a way to remember the founders of the Democratic Party - Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson. This year's dinner, which was Thursday, was especially important because it served as a way to support Democrats running for office in the upcoming elections and to honor former Franklin County Commissioner Cheryl Plummer. "For Jefferson-Jackson, we're focusing on candidates and local folks," said Beth Shupp-George, chairwoman of the Franklin County Democratic Party.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster won by a nearly 2-to-1 margin over Democratic challenger Tony Barr among Franklin County voters Tuesday, according to incomplete and unofficial results from the Franklin County Election Board. Shuster, the incumbent Republican, tallied 65 percent of the vote to 35 percent for Barr, a special education teacher from Claysburg, Pa., who won the Democratic nomination as a write-in candidate. The congressman said he is eager to return to Washington, D.C., to represent the district, albeit as a member of the minority rather than the majority part in the House.

Immigration is natural To the editor: There has been a lot of misinformation and hysteria over the issue of Mexican immigration. My ancestors were among the Spanish conquistadors who came to these lands more than 100 years prior to the landing of the pilgrims at Plymouth Rock and nearly 250 years prior to the establishment of the United States. Indeed, from 1529 the Spanish have had their presence here continuously in what is now called the United States, in Florida and in most of the territory west of the Mississippi.

WAYNESBORO, Pa. - The Franklin County Democratic Party's 2006 Fall Dinner will be Oct. 18 from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at the Elks Club at 66 W. Main St. Guests will have an opportunity to socialize with candidates, elected officials and party activists from 6 to 6:30 p.m. A buffet dinner will begin at 6:45 p.m. with speakers to follow. The keynote speaker is state Rep. Frank LaGrotta, who represents the 10th District. He is the Democratic chairman of the House Tourism and Recreational Development Committee.

HOLLIDAYSBURG, Pa. - U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster will officially announce his bid for a fifth term in Congress on Monday with appearances in Chambersburg, Pa., and Altoona, Pa., according to a media advisory from his campaign committee. Shuster, R-9th, will be at the Greater Chambersburg Chamber of Commerce building, 100 Lincoln Way East, at 2:30 p.m., following a morning appearance in Altoona, the advisory stated. "Congressman Shuster looks forward to a spirited campaign where he will be able to articulate a pro-growth, pro-family message of lower taxes, a strong national defense, and sustained economic growth to the voters of the 9th District," the advisory stated.