The following is a press release from the Mike Ludwig campaign, courtesy of Brittany Tressler.

Mike Ludwig, candidate for State Representative in the 148^th Legislative District, was ordered to active duty and is reporting to Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, for nearly three weeks of military training.

Ludwig, who enlisted in the Army National Guard in 1997 after putting himself through the Montgomery County Police Academy, served two tours for Operation Iraq Freedom and currently trains one weekend per month in Pennsylvania. He previously served as a police officer in Lebanon County, and is currently a Deputy Sheriff in Montgomery County.

“I’m running for this office because I have always been committed to public service,” said Ludwig, just prior to his departure. “So while it’s unfortunate I will lose some campaigning time, I am proud to be serving the country in other ways.”

Since deciding to run for State House in late January, Ludwig has faced another sort of combat. Supporters of his opponent, incumbent Mike Gerber, petitioned the PA Commonwealth Court to strike more than 100 signatures from his nomination petitions, many of which were found to be valid. After the court proceedings, Ludwig's total number of voter signatures was 297 -- just shy of the 300-signature requirement. Ludwig was removed from the ballot, and both Gerber and Ludwig ran Republican write-in campaigns for the Primary Election.

Ludwig received over five-times more votes than Gerber.

“I respect the nomination process, and I learned a lot going through my petition challenge,” Ludwig said. “At the end of the day, though, Representative Gerber and his campaign were hoping to breeze through to victory in November with no competition. Someone needs to hold him accountable for his record of wasteful spending, and the debt that Pennsylvania has accumulated under this watch. I am a pro-business fiscal conservative who wants to fight for taxpayers in Harrisburg.”

While Ludwig will be gone for almost three weeks, his campaign will soldier on. 

“I fought hard to get back on the ballot, and I hit the ground running. I have visited almost 1,000 homes so far in the campaign, and the response has been terrific. My wife, Karen, and a group of volunteers will be knocking on doors and talking to voters while I’m gone, and I look forward to hitting the campaign trail even harder when I get back,” said Ludwig.

Ludwig returns from training on June 23, and will hold his campaign kick-off fundraiser on June 28 at Brittingham’s Irish Pub in Lafayette Hill. 

Mike Ludwig is the Republican candidate running to represent the 148th Legislative District, which includes Conshohocken and Narberth Boroughs, Whitemarsh Township, and parts of Lower Merion, Plymouth, Whitpain and Upper Dublin Townships.  For more information, visit www.facebook.com/public/Vote-Mike-Ludwig or votemikeludwig.com.