Lesson #1: Don’t pull a Bob Roggio.

In the race over in neighboring Chester and Berks counties, the Democratic challenger to U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach sent out this new release Monday:

“It is a shame that Jim Gerlach doesn’t show up and work to find solutions to the problems that plague district residents day after day. We need a Representative who addresses the rising cost of gas, not a Representative who has taken over 90 thousand dollars in campaign contributions from Big Oil. While our Veterans struggle to find ways to pay for college, Jim Gerlach doesn’t show up to vote. As Americans grapple with the very real possibility that the price of gas will top $4 per gallon this summer, Jim Gerlach sits out. As people deal with these everyday problems and hope for real solutions, the last thing we need are leaders who skip work.”

On the day in question here, Gerlach was mourning the death of his mother, Helen Gerlach, who passed away Wednesday morning at age 79.