'New' congressman makes tour
PETROLIA — During a Monday tour of Butler County, the U.S. representative for Pennsylvania's 5th Congressional District visited the slice of this county included in the state's new 15th Congressional District.
Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-5th, made stops in Sarver, Butler, Cabot and Petrolia during a daylong tour of the county's eastern side. Thompson is running against Democrat Susan Boser to represent the district. The winner will represent a redrawn district that reaches south from north-central Pennsylvania and includes eastern Butler County.
Thompson said he met with about 100 people during his trip, which was one of a handful he's made so far to Butler County. The number one issue he heard along the way, he said, was a lack of qualified candidates for jobs.
“The recurring thing today has been workforce,” Thompson said. “The number of open jobs in this community is pretty remarkable.”
Thompson ended his trip with a small meet-and-greet in the Petrolia Volunteer Fire Department social hall, during which he spoke with a reporter for the Eagle about his candidacy. Thompson was joined at the department by a few local Republican organizers, fire department staff and attorney Al Lindsay, the county's Republican Committee chairman.
Marcie Assetta, Thompson's campaign director, said they had hoped for more people attending the VFD event, but weather was rather poor.
Thompson compared himself to U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-3rd, saying that he and Kelly work closely together in the House. Thompson said he was a mentor for Kelly when Kelly joined the House.
Voters first elected Thompson in 2008.
“The first thing I did when I saw the proposed new congressional map was I called Mike and said, where exactly in Butler County is your home?” Thompson said.
Asked about high costs on the Pennsylvania Turnpike and dangerous stretches of Route 422, Thompson pointed to the I-80 and I-90 interchange, which he said he worked with President Donald Trump to remake. He said he has argued against setting up toll stations on I-80.
Thompson mentioned Trump on several occasions and pointed to last year's Tax Cuts and Jobs Act when discussing several issues.
“The positive impacts of the tax cuts were very apparent everywhere we went today,” Thompson said.
As the group discussed the sexual abuse accusations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, Thompson said he was looking forward to the planned hearing later this week and asked why Congresswoman Dianne Feinstein “would sit on this letter.”
Thompson spoke at length about dairy farming, saying that schools cutting back on fattier milks in recent years caused declines in dairy farmer revenues and only made children drink sugary milk substitutes.
As for Pennsylvania's redrawn congressional map, Thompson spoke negatively of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's decision to redraw maps and undo Republican gerrymandering. Still, Thompson said he was happy to campaign in Butler County.
