Published: April 08, 2008 12:00 am      

Murtha rival soldiers on, even off the ballot

Although his name has been struck from the April 22 primary ballot, William Russell isn’t giving up.

Russell, the GOP candidate attempting to unseat Democratic U.S. Rep. John Murtha of Johnstown, participated Monday in a Washington, D.C., press conference with other Iraq War veterans who are running for Congress.

They gathered to show their support for U.S. troops and for Gen. David Petraeus, the nation’s top commander in Iraq.

Russell, who is trying to gain 1,000 write-in votes in the primary to become his party’s nominee, said the veterans’ message stands in contrast to Democratic congressional leaders’ calls for a troop withdrawal.

“We’re all about supporting the troops,” Russell said. “It’s a chance for us to get together, because we feel we have a story to tell.”

Murtha has argued that the war has been mismanaged and cannot be won militarily.

Russell, an Army veteran of both wars in Iraq, was joined Monday by five other Republican candidates who issued a statement saying they are “willing to stake our lives on General Petraeus’ integrity.”

Russell said conditions in Iraq are improving, adding that calls for withdrawal send the wrong message.

“As long as we don’t encourage the enemy and allow them to think they can achieve a political victory with terror, things will get better,” he said.

Russell must vie for write-in votes because a judge ruled that he did not have enough valid petition signatures to appear on the ballot.