Van Drew Triumphs in Senate Race

COURT HOUSE — While participants at a County Democratic victory party Tue., Nov. 8 at Rio Station had some tense moments awaiting the results of the First District Senate and Assembly race, Sen. Jeff Van Drew told the Herald he knew he had won early in the evening.
Results were delayed by a slow vote count in Cumberland County. Van Drew said he won in all three counties he represents.
“I’m pleased and thankful to all my supporters, helpers and volunteers,” he said.
Van Drew noted he won over Republican newcomer David DeWeese by almost 10 points.
“It was a significant victory,” he said. “This was not a one or two point squeaker.”
Van Drew said he knew early in the evening he had won in Cumberland before the final totals based on tallies from individual precincts.
Voters were barraged with advertising from the Republicans in the form of direct mail, newspaper and Web ads and radio and television commercials, he said. Van Drew said the campaign from his opponent was one of the “most hurtful and mean spirited” he had seen.
Van Drew said a negative, mean spirited press releases were issued daily from the Republicans, “usually non-factual.”
“It is what it is and I tell people all the time ‘I’m tougher than I look,” he said. “I would so much like to elevate the process to be something better.”
Van Drew said there was a six-month onslaught of negativity including mailers months before the November election.
“For the longest time I refused to get involved with it and then finally as I’ve said before I’m not a human punching bag and at some point had to strike back,” he said.
For his new term, Van Drew said he would continue to demand “fiscal discipline.”
“We cannot increase taxes, tolls, fees,” he said.
Van Drew said he hoped to continue to work with Republican Sen. Christopher Connors of the Ninth Legislative District and the Veteran’s Health Care Task Force to provide more care in this area. He also called for a “new day” in politics where Republicans and Democrats work together to move the state forward and create jobs and economic activity.
“As a state we cannot continue to consume and borrow and spend and tax, we need to produce and compete,” he said.