Allegheny County Republican enters race for the 12th Congressional District

MICHELLE GANASSI
Daily American Staff Writer
6:16 p.m. EST, February 8, 2012

When Republican Keith Rothfus circulates campaign petitions, he carries a large box with him.

The Allegheny County candidate for the 12th Congressional District said it is what's inside the box — the entire text of the federal health care plan — that inspired him to run. In his opinion, the law needs to be repealed.

"The American health care system is the best in the world," he said.

Rothfus, 49, lives in Edgeworth but his home is 1,000 feet outside the redrawn district. Although congressional candidates do not have to live in the district in which they run, Rothfus said he plans to move this summer to a neighboring area inside the 12th District.

"I think it is important to live in the district you represent," he said

If no one runs against Rothfus in the April 24 primary, he will face the winner of the Democratic primary between U.S. Reps. Mark Critz and Jason Altmire in November.

Rothfus received his law degree from Notre Dame and worked as a private sector attorney doing work for small businesses. Starting in 2005 he worked on faith-based initiatives for President George W. Bush's administration. His first post was deputy director for the Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, Department of Housing and Urban Development.

From 2006 to 2007 he was the director of the Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives for the Department of Homeland Security. In particular he worked with faith-based organizations to provide disaster relief after Hurricane Katrina. His job was to make sure the departments were not discriminating against faith-based organizations when it came to partnering with nonprofit organizations.

Rothfus had to leave his job when he was diagnosed with a rare form of appendix cancer. He said about 75 percent of people with this cancer die after five years.

"I was very fortunate," he said.

It is his experience battling cancer that shapes his views on the American health care system.

"You do not solve a health care problem with mandated care from Washington, D.C.," he said.

Rothfus, who considers himself a Reagan conservative, said he is also an advocate for smaller government.

"Both people running on the Democratic side are advocates for bigger government," he said.

He criticized laws coming out of Washington, D.C., such as the decision to phase out the use of incandescent light bulbs.

"The federal government thinks it knows best on what kind of light bulb that you use in your home," he said.

Rothfus ran against Altmire in 2010, losing by a margin of 51 percent to 49 percent.

Rothfus said he is enjoying getting to know the new areas of the district, which include parts of Somerset and Cambria counties. He has been to the area five times. If elected, Rothfus said he will represent the region, not a specific area.

"I consider myself a representative of western Pennsylvania," he said.

With new energy, natural gas, coal and nuclear assets, the district is rich in energy resources, he said.

"We can lead the energy revolution," he said, "from Beaver County to here in Somerset County."

He would like to help rein in wasteful spending and focus that funding to repair roads and bridges. He has talked with U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster, R-Hollidaysburg, and said he is in support of changing the toll credit language as spelled out in the current transportation bill. Toll credits could be used as the state match to release federal funds for the completion of Route 219 from Somerset to Meyersdale. States earn toll credits for spending money to improve toll roads such as the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

"It's absolutely essential to get it done," he said. "We earn those credits through the turnpike and it will be appropriate to be able to use those as offsets for the state contribution. I look forward to the delegation supporting the transportation bill. It has my support."

Rothfus described himself as "extremely pro-life." If elected, he said he would fight against mandates that require institutions such as the Catholic church to pay for contraceptives, sterilization and the morning-after pill for employees.

He is also a supporter of the Second Amendment

He pledged to open a Johnstown office if elected.

"I like what I see in this part of the district," he said.

Rothfus said the 2012 election will be a crossroads for the country.

"With me you are going to have a public servant," he said. "I won't take a congressional pension and I don't believe in being in Congress forever."

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