Conservative Groups, Leaders Back Rohrer

Written by Ben Griffiths, Contributing Writer

Sam Rohrer’s rolodex of conservative groups and leaders is coming in handy. The former state Rep., 2010 gubernatorial candidate and U.S. Senate hopeful rolled out a number of their endorsements in the past week.

Rohrer, a former state Rep. from Berks County, announced that he gotten the endorsements of non-profit heavyweight founders Michael Farris of the Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) and Donald E. Wildmon of The American Family Association (AFA), as the Republican candidate to challenge incumbent senator Bob Casey in the fall.

The organizations non-profit status keeps them from endorsing political candidates, but endorsements from the organizational leadership has the same effect of reaching and influencing both organizations considerable membership base.

Rohrer also pulled in the support of the Pennsylvania Grassroots and Conservative Coalition, a collection of nearly 30 Tea Party groups across the state that operate in concert.

An endorsement from Reverend Donald E. Wildmon, founder and chairman of the The American Family Association, means that the Rohrer has been formally introduced to the conservative Christian groups over 2 million supporters.

“Sam Rohrer served the people of Pennsylvania well during his nine terms in the State House,” said Wildmon in a press release. “His voting record proves his belief in fiscal responsibility, limited government and the free market system as well as his strong stands on property rights, the Second Amendment, life and family.”

Rohrer added that the endorsement from Wildmon is a sign that his campaign has the all-important conservative vote in Pa.

For Rohrer, the endorsement from Michael Farris, chairman and founder of the HSLDA is also “an indication that homeschoolers across Pennsylvania are in [his] corner.”

“I am honored to receive the support of Michael Farris,” Rohrer said in a campaign statement. “His work at HSLDA has changed the landscape for parents wanting to teach their children at home.”

Ferris stressed that though he “not a voter in Pennsylvania”, his aim is to help “principled and proven leaders to public office.”

“It is of grave importance that we have someone in the US Senate who understands the importance of supporting and defending the Constitution, and who believes that the government should protect our God-given rights, not weaken or usurp them, said Farris.”

Rohrer also pulled in the support of the Pennsylvania Grassroots and Conservative Coalition, a collection of nearly 30 Tea Party groups across the state that operate in concert, as well as the Pa Republican leadership Council, a grassroots group.

Diana Reimer, one of the PGCC coalition coordinators said, “The coalition strongly hopes that all like-minded and conservative citizens across Pennsylvania bring their support behind Sam Rohrer.”

The coalition endorsed after straw polling of each constituent group showed at least two thirds of them support Rohrer.

Rohrer faces four men in the GOP primary: David Christian, a businessman and veterans advocate from Bucks County; Marc Scaringi, an attorney from Cumberland County; Tom Smith, a former coal company owner from Armstrong County; and Steve Welch, an entrepreneur from Chester County.

Rohrer will need his grassroots supporters. While Smith and Welch are airing TV ads nearly statewide, Rohrer’s camp says that’s out of the picture for them. Instead, they are raising money for a radio campaign.

April 16th, 2012 | Posted in Front Page Stories, Senate, Top Stories | 25 Comments