District 5 / John Peterson (R)

5th District Ballot Appears Set

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April 23rd, 2008, posted by Greg Palmer

Centre County Republican Glenn “G.T.” Thompson was leading in the race for the Republican nomination to the 5th Congressional District, and Mark McCracken appeared to have clinched the Democratic nomination to the seat Tuesday.

It was the Centre County voting who thrust Thompson into the lead late Tuesday, but Centre County Republican Matt Shaner at a late hour said he was not ready to concede until complete results were in.

“It looks as if Glenn Thompson has won the race,” Shaner said. “But the Department of State shows me within 700 votes, and between 30 and 35 of the precincts have not reported. read more »

Crowded House Primary Turns Spotlight on Mid-PA

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March 13th, 2008, posted by Greg Palmer

Nine Republicans and three Democrats are competing for the seat held by Rep. John Peterson, a Republican retiring at the end of his term. The district, which includes a wide swath of central and northern Pennsylvania, includes State College but is predominantly rural. Peterson has not endorsed a candidate, and there is no clear front-runner. But the winner of the Republican primary would likely have an advantage in November in the heavily Republican district. read more »

U.S. House Hopeful Matt Shaner Drinking Before Car Crash

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January 12th, 2008, posted by Greg Palmer

‘‘I was in a condition where I shouldn’t have been driving my car.” — Matt Shaner
Republican Matt Shaner, who announced this week that he will seek to replace the retiring U.S. Rep. John Peterson, said in an interview Thursday he made a big mistake when he left the accident site without speaking to police.

No one was injured in the single-vehicle accident Jan. 19, 2007, in Patton Township. But Shaner was fined more than $500 after pleading guilty to running a stop sign, failing to report an accident and accidents involving damage to an unattended vehicle or property. read more »

Shaner Will Seek Peterson's Seat

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January 9th, 2008, posted by Greg Palmer

Patton Township businessman Matt Shaner said Wednesday he will seek the Republican nomination in the 5th congressional district.

Shaner became the first major-party candidate to commit to a candidacy for the seat that will be vacated at year’s end by the retirement of the six-term incumbent, U.S. Rep. John Peterson, R-Pleasantville.

“I wanted to let you know I will be seeking the nomination in the 5th Congressional district,” Shaner said in an e-mail. read more »

Corman won't seek Peterson's seat

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January 8th, 2008, posted by RobHop

From Centre Daily Times:
State Sen. Jake Corman, R-Benner Township, announced today that he will not seek the seat in Congress that will become available when Republican John Peterson retires at the end of the year.

Corman, who represents the 34th Senate District, was widely viewed as a likely candidate for the Republican party nomination to the seat, but said in a news release that family considerations made him decide to stay in the state Senate.

Corman has three young children, while the 5th Congressional District is, geographically, one of the largest in the country. read more »

In Surprise, Congressman Peterson to Retire

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January 3rd, 2008, posted by Greg Palmer

In a surprise move, Congressman John Peterson has announced he will not seek re-election and will retire when his term expires at the end of 2008. Peterson, a member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, has recently been a staunch opponent to efforts to impose tolls on Route 80. Over the course of his career, Peterson has been known as a supporter of the culture, economy, and livelihood of the residents of his rural district.

“I will not be leaving Pennsylvania or my community, and I intend to continue to fight for public policies that promote jobs, wise use of our natural resources, and quality of life issues for America’s rural population,” Peterson said in a statement released Thursday morning. read more »

Rep. Peterson Discusses his Views on I-80 Tolls and Privatization

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September 25th, 2007, posted by Stanley

Check it out. Congressman Peterson has been very active on this issue from the beginning, so it’s well worth listening to this radio segment.

Actually, the whole program’s not bad and features perspectives from Congressman Peterson, Sen. Orie, and Rep. Geist.