United+States+Senator

United States Senator __**Summary:**__ The U.S Senate is one of the more powerful bodies in the federal government, containing 100 members. It is in the upper legislative chamber. Each state gets two senators to represent them, and they serve six-year terms. The Vice President of the United States watches over the Senate. The Senate is granted specific powers in the Constitution. The Senate is the only jury once impeachment goes to trial, and if two-thirds agree, then the Senate has the right to remove an official from office. The President may negotiate treaties and agreements with other nations but the Senate must ratify them by a two-thirds vote in order for them to take effect. The Senate balances the power of the president. The Senate sends bills to committees. Each senator serves on multiple committees and sub-committees. The Senate's committees  are: Senators serve a six-year term with a salary of $174,000 per year =**Republican Candidates**= Marc Scaringi was born and raised in Pittsburgh. Marc graduated from Georgetown University in Washington, and worked many part-time jobs to help pay for his education. After college he returned to Pittsburgh and began working as a small business manager. Marc volunteered on Rick Santorum’s campaign for U.S Senate. Santorum asked Marc to join his Washington, D.C staff. In 1996, Marc came to Pennsylvania to help lead Mike Fisher’s campaign to become Attorney General of Pennsylvania. Fisher appointed Marc to a senior staff position within his administration. During this time he also attended law school at Widener University and earned a law degree in 2001. He then left politics and went to work as a small town lawyer in Perry County. In 2005 Marc and his wife opened their own full-service law firm in Harrisburg. Marc re-entered politics in late 2010 and announced his candidacy for the U.S Senate from Pennsylvania. Marc currently lives in Camp Hill with his wife, Melanie, and their four children.
 * __Qualifications: __**When running for senator you must reside in the state in which you plan to become elected in. Also you must be 30 years or older to become senator. And finally you must have been a citizen of the United States for at least 9 years.
 * appropriations;
 * armed services;
 * banking, housing and urban affairs;
 * budget;
 * commerce, science and transportation;
 * energy and natural resources;
 * environment and public works;
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">finance;
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">foreign relations;
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">health, education, labor and pensions;
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">homeland security and governmental affairs;
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">judiciary;
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">rules and administration;
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">small business and entrepreneurship
 * Marc A. Scaringi**

Steve Welch grew up in Chester County, PA and earned a Mechanical Engineering degree at Penn State University. He founded the drug company Mitos, which developed a number of patents that transformed the biological drug industry. He also founded the business accelerator DreamIt Ventures, which has assisted the launching of 64 new companies in 4 years, and the education technology company KinderTown, which is designed to help parents engage in their children’s education at an early age. In 2010, Mr. Welch published his book, “We Are All Born Entrepreneurs”, which describes the lessons learned from the successes and failures of numerous entrepreneurs as well as the driving forces behind invention, innovation, and job creation.
 * Steven D. Welch**

Tom Smith graduated from Elderton High School in 1965 but postponed college to tend to his father’s farm and drive a school bus. He later went to work in a local surface coal mine, and he eventually entered the coal business himself, building a series of companies that by 2010 were mining more than a million tons of coal a year and had more than one hundred people employed. Mr. Smith has a long record of involvement in community organizations as well as politically conservative causes and candidates at the local, state, and national levels.
 * Tom Smith**

David Alan Christian was born in Gainesville, Florida on October 26, 1948 to Dorothy Christian. After his father left the family, his mother Dorothy raised David along with his three other siblings. After attending Woodrow Wilson High School, David moved on to Villanova University, graduating on Dean’s list. During the years 1972-1976, David began and completed law school at Rutgers University, while also attending graduate programs at Villanova, University of Pennsylvania, Middlebury College, and Bryn Mawr College. Following in his mother’s footsteps, at age 17, David enlisted in the United States Army. David Christian was rapidly promoted through enlisted ranks and by age 18 David was commissioned and admitted to Officer Candidate School. After completing Jump School and Green Berettraining, he was promoted to Captain (0-3) at age 20. A year later, in January of 1969, David Christian was burned by Napalmin, ending his Army services. After his army career in the Vietnam, David was awarded for his actions. He received multiple awards, including the Distinguished Service Cross, two Silver Stars, a Bronze Star, Seven Purple Hearts, and two Vietnamese Crosses of Gallantry. He was also nominated two times for the Congressional Medal of Honor. He then was elected National Commander of the Legion of Valor in 1978 and holds a lifetime Board of Director’s position with the organization. Being frustrated with how the war veterans were treated after their return from Vietnam, Christian became an advocate and veterans leader. He founded the Council of Vietnam Veterans and also the splinter group of the United Vietnam Veterans Organization. During the Regan Administration, David Christian served as an Assistant State Director, US Department of Labor-Veterans Employment. Since then, David has run for a seat in the United States House of Representatives two separate times against Peter Kostmayer. Christian formed an exploratory committee in mid-2011, to consider a run for the United States Senate. Describing himself as a “Ronald Reagan Republican,” Christian gave a campaign announcement to all of Pennsylvania in 2011.
 * David Alan Christian**

Sam Rohrer was born in Dover, Ohio. He attended Tuscarawas Valley High school and later earned a degree in Business Administration at Bob Jones University in 1977. Before becoming the director of marketing at Graco, based in Elverson, Pennsylvania, he also managed a radio station for several years. He was elected to the State House in November of 1992. Usually he easily won re-election but the last 2 elections he won by merely 10 percent and 5 percent. He is chairman of the House Finance Committee and also the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee. And he is also a member of the House Game and Fisheries Committee and the House Appropriations Committee.
 * Sam Rohrer**

=Democratic Candidates=

Joseph Vodvarka is running for the 2012 Senate seat of Pennsylvania. This is his first time running for office. Vodvarka worked as a spring maker for most of his adult career, and decided to run for Senate because he felt there were blatant flaws within the American system. He believes his greatest qualification is that he understands what American manufacturers are going through. Vodvarka believes that free trade is what is damaging the economy; that we need to eliminate outsourcing; and the need to remove overseas factories from the American market. He believes that America needs fresh faces in office. He believes that it should not be lawyers running for offices, but working class citizens like himself. Because of this, Vodvarka only wants to serve one term in the Senate, and quickly return to his job as a spring maker. Vodvarka is a Democrat, but a very conservative Democrat. He believes heavily in the second amendment, increasing exports, and limited government spending. Vodvarka is against the new “Obamacare” bill, and believes it is damaging America. Although Vodvarka is very inexperienced, he has a wealth of knowledge in managing a business, and thus has a great economic sense. Vodvarka is a very viable candidate for the seat of Pennsylvania Senate.
 * Joseph John Vodvarka**

Bob Casey was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania in 1960. He is the son of Robert Casey Sr., the 42nd governor of Pennsylvania. He received a law degree from Columbia School of Law in 1988. He practiced as a lawyer from 1991 to 1996. Before attending Columbia Lbaw, he volunteered with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps and taught 5th grade in inner city Philadelphia Schools. Deciding to become a politician, like his father, he ran for State Auditor General in 1996, and won the position. He served this position for two terms, from 1997-2005. In 2002, he ran for the Democratic Nomination for Governor of Pennsylvania, but he lost to Ed Rendell by 12 points. Following his defeat, in 2004 he ran for the position of State Treasurer. Casey won this race with the most votes ever recorded in a Pennsylvania Statewide Election. After receiving phone calls from Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Harry Reid (D-NV) urging him to run for Senate, Casey decided to do so. On March 5, 2005, Casey announced that he was seeking the Democratic nomination for the Pennsylvania Senate seat. Treasurer Casey was endorsed by Ed Rendell, Joe Hoeffel, and Barbara Hafer; All prominent Democrats in Pennsylvania. Casey faced two more liberal Democrats for the nomination, but defeated both of them in the May 16 primary, receiving 85% of the vote. Treasurer Casey defeated the incumbent, Rick Santorum, taking 59% of the vote. On November 15, 2006, Senator Casey was elected to several committees including: Foreign Relations, Housing and Urban Affairs, Agriculture, United States Congress Joint Economic Committee, and the Special Committee on Aging. Senator Casey is a devout Roman Catholic, and thus opposes Abortion and Stem Cell research. He however supports many ideals that conflict with his Roman Catholic spiritualism. Senator Casey is in favor of “Plan B” Contraceptives being available over-the-counter, homosexual rights to adoption, and civil unions for homosexuals. He is in favor of government being involved in healthcare, and has suggested that “CHIP”, the Pennsylvania Program for Children without insurance, cover all uninsured children. He opposes cuts to Medicare and Medicaid. Senator Casey is also in favor of tax cuts for the Middle Class, and favors the “Pay as you go” budget. Senator Casey is up for re-election in 2012, and is running against Joseph John Vodvarka for the Democratic nomination. Bob Casey has a large amount of experience balancing budget because of his previous positions of Auditor and State Treasurer. His wealth of experience in these fields are good signs that he understands how to balance a budget. These factors all show why Bob Casey is powerful force in the race for the Senate Seat.
 * Bob Casey (Incumbent)**