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[PA Senate 13] Sen. Armstrong has served county well
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Candidate
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| Contributor | hillman_pa |
| Last Edited | hillman_pa Dec 13, 2007 09:01pm |
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| Category | Opinion |
| News Date | Thursday, December 13, 2007 03:00:00 AM UTC0:0 |
| Description | In 1984, a reporter asked then state Rep. Gibson Armstrong of Refton which committee assignment appealed to him the most, should he win his bid for a state Senate seat.
Without hesitation, the 40-year-old Armstrong replied, "Appropriations ... but that's out of the question for a first-termer."
The choice back then was a natural one for Armstrong, who had studied economics in college and worked as a city stockbroker before entering politics.
The powerful Senate Appropriations Committee controls the purse strings in Harrisburg, and Armstrong viewed such an assignment as an opportunity to more effectively serve the citizens of his district and the Commonwealth.
But he was right, too, in knowing that assignment to the committee only goes to members who have been in the upper chamber for a considerable time.
Republican Armstrong easily won election that year over his Democratic opponent, who was so discouraged that he literally quit campaigning well before the votes were cast.
Armstrong replaced a highly regarded senator, Richard Snyder, who had championed welfare reform, among other conservative issues over several decades.
Armstrong was equally regarded as a four-term member of the House, coming to prominence for his stalwart defense of "Amish taxi" drivers, his efforts to secure bridge-repair funds, and for his support of small business.
Indeed, the transition from Snyder to Armstrong took place seamlessly.
Like Snyder, Armstrong was -- and is -- a fiscal and social conservative, a man who reflected the values of this county but refrained from demagoguery on them.
That statesmanlike character has served Armstrong well during his 31 years in the state Legislature.
He has articulately championed one conservative cause after another. He favored fiscal restraint, pro-life laws and pro-family laws. He fought gambling, child pornography and efforts to restrict the rights of hunters.
His low-key yet determined demeanor, his negotiating s |
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