More on Castor's Endorsement of Marc Perry for State Senator

Castor Endorses Springfield Candidate for State Senate
By Nick Malinowski
Springfield Sun Staff Writer

With just over three months remaining before November's election, Republican Marc Perry picked up the endorsement of Montgomery County Commissioner Bruce Castor.

Perry is a former Springfield Township Commissioner and is running for the Pennsylvania State Senate District 7 seat currently held by Democrat Vincent Hughes, the incumbent since 1994.

"What I'm trying to do is show we have support not only in Philadelphia but in MontgomeryCounty," Perry said in an interview Monday. "[Castor] is a very important piece of that. He stands for a lot of the principles I stand for as a candidate. He's tough on crime, wants to keep property taxes low and is great on open space."

Castor met Perry at a July 24 Republican Party diversity function in Plymouth Meeting.

"We were both promoting more minority participation in the Republican Party. I enjoyed talking with him," Castor said in an interview Monday.

"I made it my business to learn about him and I think he would be an outstanding state senator," Castor said. "One issue that I thought was advantageous to people of MontgomeryCounty was his recognition that transportation infrastructure dollars are drying up at the state and federal levels. I would like more state money and federal money for road and infrastructure improvements [and] that would be an issue that he will fight for in the Senate."

Perry said his campaign is also focusing on ethics reform, which should play well in MontgomeryCounty.

"Pennsylvania is one of the worst states in the country in terms of transparency of government. It's not a Democrat or Republican issue, but good government is want we want to promote," he said. "Ethics reform is a main cornerstone of my campaign."

Perry listed term limits as one major change he would work toward.

Castor's endorsement comes on the heels of endorsements from U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter and Republican Montgomery County Commissioner Jim Matthews.

"Any time you are a challenger facing an incumbent who has been there a long time, you have to seek these endorsements," Perry said.

Perry said he will continue to raise money and knock on doors to meet people throughout the summer and into the fall.

"I think Marc is the kind of candidate that can win if he gets his message out," Castor said. "He certainly impressed me, and that is not an easy thing to do." And here is the rest of it.