Altmire: 'I have a record to run on now.'

MONACA -- U.S. Rep. Jason Altmire (D-McCandless) told PolitickerPA.com in an interview after Wednesday night's town hall meeting he thinks his voting record, which he said is about 50 percent Democratic, proves his political philosophy matches the mostly centrist 4th Congressional District, which covers an area from the northern Pittsburgh suburbs to Mercer County.

Those votes, he said, will be the biggest difference this fall when he faces a rematch against Republican Melissa Hart, who had represented the district three terms until defeated by Altmire in 2006.

During that race, people voted against Hart more than they voted for him, he said.

"I have a record to run on now," he said.

Altmire boosted his bi-partisan credentials this week by holding two town halls with Republican U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy (Upper St. Clair), whose carefully drawn 18th Congressional District borders his. But the events similarly helped Murphy, who faces Democratic challenger Steve O'Donnell, as he tries to escape the GOP brand.

He said O'Donnell called him when he heard of the town halls, but Altmire countered that the meetings were about more than politics.

"I can't stop doing my job because they're campaigning," he said. "It's not about politics."

He added: "I'm sure Melissa Hart isn't happy about it either."

Asked if he will help O'Donnell this fall, Altmire indicated his focus is on his own campaign.

"I'm not going to get into anybody else's race."

The congressman defeated the three-term incumbent Hart by about 4 percentage points in 2006, or nearly 10,000 votes. This year, Hart and a conservative advocacy group based in Washington, D.C., Freedom's Watch, have started criticizing Altmire on an issue he does vote on with Democrats -- domestic oil drilling.

Altmire has said oil companies should drill on the 68 million acres they already own. That oil could enter the market much quicker than oil from newly explored areas, which he said will take at least 10 years to be usable and only increase America's dependence on the substance. Environmental considerations are "not part of the argument," he said.

He said he thinks the American public will buy his argument.

"I think the facts speak for themselves," he said.

According to most observers, the presidential race will also have a large impact on the state's array of down-ballot races.

But not according to Altmire. He said he doesn't think U.S. Sen. Barack Obama's (D-Ill.) presence on the ballot will affect "anybody down-ballot."

He predicts Obama will win Pennsylvania, although U.S. Sen. John McCain will run closely against him in western Pennsylvania.