JOHNSTOWN -- Republican GOP candidate Bill Russell said at a press conference Monday that U.S. Rep. John Murtha (D-Johnstown) has used lies and fear to try and hold onto voters in the 12th Congressional District.

"In the past week, I have watched my opponent employ a strategy that combined lying about me and my family with spreading the fear that this district cannot survive without the constant infusion of new earmarks," Russell said.

The suddenly high-profile GOP congressional candidate held a press conference immediately after Murtha's rally with former President Bill Clinton to criticize the 34-year incumbent and lay out his plans for economic growth, which center on coal-plant development.

Although once an afterthought in even Republicans' minds, Russell and his campaign are on the precipice of pulling the shock of the election season against a congressman many thought invulnerable to Election Day challenges.

Murtha's campaign has emphasized in recent weeks the number of jobs and amount of money the congressman has brought back to the district. But Russell has sought from the beginning of his campaign to turn this supposed strength into a weakness.

"The days of 'government gravy' are coming to an end," he said. "We must begin, today, to develop industry that does not depend on the next government handout, or our economic situation will continue to suffer, because in the very near future there won't be that next government handout -- no matter which representative is asking for it."

The Murtha campaign has painted Russell as a "carpetbagger," because he moved to the 12th District from Virginia at the sign of political opportunity.

Clinton even said at Murtha's rally he thinks Russell "rents an apartment here."

The former lieutenant colonel laughed when told of Clinton's remarks, saying he thought it was pretty funny for the former president to accuse someone else of being a carpetbagger.

The Clintons raised some eyebrows when they moved to New York State shortly before U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) ran for office.