A growing number of dissatisfied Democrats say that they will not attend the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., opting instead to campaign and distance themselves from President Obama.
Rep. Mark Critz (D., Pa.) said yesterday that he would rather campaign and meet constituents than attend the convention, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:
Critz and others shying away from Obama’s renomination party in Charlotte the week of Sept. 3 believe it’s more important to shake constituents’ hands and listen to their concerns about the economy and the administration’s energy policy than to attend an event geared toward party politics.
"Since I was elected, my focus has been on creating jobs for people here, rather than focusing on the agendas of the political parties in Washington," Johnstown’s Critz said.
His campaign spokesman, Mike Mikus, said their internal polling shows the president is down double digits to Republican nominee Mitt Romney in the redrawn, six-county congressional district where Critz won a close victory against U.S. Rep. Jason Altmire of McCandless in the April primary. He will go against Republican Keith Rothfus, an Edgeworth attorney, in the general election.
Several West Virginia Democrats will also skip the convention. They include Sen. Joe Manchin, Rep. Nick Rahall, and Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin.