Moderation critical in 3rd District, Dahlkemper says

By Alex Roarty, PolitickerPA.com Reporter

Of the 19 U.S. representatives from Pennsylvania sworn-in Tuesday in Washington, Kathy Dahlkemper stood out. The Democrat was the only one who defeated an incumbent, former Congressman Phil English, this fall and only one of two new members of the state's delegation.

During an interview Tuesday evening with PolitickerPA.com, she acknowledged that if she wants to survive her freshman term, she must make sure she doesn't stray too far to the left in the moderate 3rd Congressional District.

Dahlkemper defeated English by 2.4 percentage points on Election Day, just more than 7,000 votes, in an incredibly favorable year for Democrats.

"My district could swing either way I really believe," Dahlkemper said. "It's a moderate district. I have been elected to represent my district. To go really far to the left would not be representing it."

Her voting record could look similar to the one held by U.S. Rep. Jason Altmire (D-McCandless), whose 4th Congressional District shares its northern border with the 3rd District. Altmire carefully crafted a voting record that ranked as one the House's most moderate, a record essential to his re-election success this fall against Melissa Hart.

"We represent very similar people, have the same general makeup of our district," Dahlkemper said of Altmire.

Dahlkemper, a former small-business owner, touted her fiscal conservatism, a principle that will likely be quickly tested when Congress votes on an expected $775 billion stimulus plan pushed by President-elect Barack Obama.

The congresswoman said she still hasn't seen details of the plan and is withholding judgment until she does, although she added that the nation's growing debt is a concern.

Asked if her party's leaders, including Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), will allow her to break party orthodoxy, Dahlkemper said she didn't think that would be a problem.

"I think the party understands that, they understand that, beyond everything else you've got to be able to represent the district that vote you in," she said.

On Tuesday Dahlkemper learned her fist committee assignment -- the agriculture committee.

The tasks the country faces are daunting, the congresswoman said, but the challenges also present opportunity.

"I have great hope and confident in the future of this country, and I believe I'm going to be able to help turn this country around, and make it strong again in ways we haven't been," she said.

Alex Roarty is a PolitickerPA.com Reporter and can be reached via email at noreply@politicker.com.

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