Democratic Representative John Murtha said Wednesday his home base of western Pennsylvania is racist and that could reduce Senator Barack Obama's victory margin in the state by 4 percentage points. The 17-term congressman told a Pittsburgh newspaper Wednesday that: "There is no question that western Pennsylvania is a racist area."
Murtha said it has taken time for many Pennsylvania voters to come around to embracing a Black presidential candidate, but that Obama should still win the state, though not in a runaway. Murtha said Obama has a problem with voters' racial attitudes in western Pennsylvania that could trim his winning margin on November 4.
Murtha's district outside Pittsburgh encompasses Johnstown and many small towns once dominated by steel and coal.
A spokesperson for Congressman Murtha told The Associated Press: "It's naive to think that race or gender doesn't play a role in a voter's perception of a candidate. Mr. Murtha makes the point that while race may be an issue for some, it's evident that voters today are concerned about the issues that truly matter; issues like the economy, health care, and energy independence."
Murtha said that the older population has been "more hesitant" to support Obama. But in the past three months, he said groups he deals with regularly, such as veterans and senior citizens, have decided to back Senator Obama.
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