Light Seeking Light

Lane Core, Jr., over at The Blog From the Core has a nice biographical piece on Diana Irey, who is attempting to unseat Jack Murtha in Pennsylvania's twelfth congressional district. A few salient points:

She has been a Washington County Commissioner since 1995.

She is originally from Ohio and grew up as a Democrat, but as an adult and a mother found herself more philosophically attuned to the GOP.

She describes herself as an independent-minded conservative.

Her decision to run was prompted by Murtha's comments on the military and the war.

She is taking a strong stand against illegal immigration and opposes amnesty.

Read the whole thing here.

I have a feeling that regional sentiments are going to be important in this election. Murtha's district extends over a considerable area -- from the mountains of Cambria County through the Laurel Highands and Pittsburgh suburbs, to the Mon Valley towns all the way down to the borders of West Virginia. Murtha's support in the Johnstown area seems to be solid -- he's one of them and can do no wrong. Irey seems to be gaining most of her support in the Mon Valley. Talking with people in Westmoreland and Somerset Counties I get the impression that most aren't really focusing much on the race yet and are of the opinion that Murtha has been good for the area [translation: he's a porker, and that's what they want]. I don't really have a feeling for the far southwest. Right now it looks as though Diana has a tough row to hoe, but if Murtha keeps on mouthing off in front of microphones that could change.

I wish her luck. She's going to need it.

Note that she decorates her office with pictures of her family and Rick Santorum.