HARRISBURG – Republican Party of Pennsylvania Chairman Rob Gleason released the following statement regarding Congressman Chris Carney’s latest negative campaign ad:

“The latest attack ad by Congressman Chris Carney has reached a new low and I demand he take it down immediately,” Gleason said. “Carney has chosen to use negative tactics to bring the disease of cancer into his campaign. Tom Marino has battled cancer twice and lost his own father to the deadly disease just two years ago. I have seen a lot in my days in politics, but this is the saddest and most desperate action I have ever seen. Invoking your wife’s health and the tragic disease of cancer into a political race is very troubling. Chris Carney should be ashamed of himself.

“This ad is despicable and Congressman Carney should be ashamed of how far he has sunk to save his job.  With unemployment in the double digits, clearly that is the only job he is concerned about.”

Chairman Gleason’s remarks follow a new campaign ad in which Chris Carney attempts to criticize his opponent for noting that Carney missed a vote on House Resolution 5939, which dealt with details surrounding the prohibition of federal monies for abortion. Carney was privately dealing with his wife’s breast cancer surgery.

Prior to his wife’s surgery, Congressman Carney understandably did not release any information concerning his wife’s impending surgery or his wife’s condition in general; therefore, his opponent did not know about his wife’s condition.  Tom Marino, a two-time cancer survivor, issued a statement to express his sympathy immediately upon learning of Chris Carney’s wife’s condition. Tom Marino also lost his father to cancer just two years ago.

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