Return of the Anti-NAFTA-Off?

(Disclaimer: Public Citizen has no preference among candidates for office.)

Candidates in the special election to replace recently deceased fair trader John Murtha (PA-12) have focused on jobs and the economy.

The race to succeed Murtha is between the former Congressman's district director, Mark Critz, and Tea Party supporter Tim Burns. Both sides contend they're the best choice to create jobs, but so far only one has come out in favor of reforming failed trade policies.

Mark Critz opens his most recent ad with a salvo about offshoring:

Tim Burns most recent ad hits the jobs issue, but makes no mention of our failed trade polices, yet:

In 2008, the Public Citizen election report documented several races where candidates duked it out over who was hated  NAFTA more. PA-12 could well be the first of this election year.

(Also, Scott Lincicome is pointing out that the DCCC is using fair trade as a wedge issue in the Hawaii special election to succeed TRADE Act cosponsor Neil Abercrombie, who recently retired to run for governor. Scott is none too happy about it, but it does show that fair trade issues resonate far outside of the industrial midwest, as Hawaii Rep. Mazie Hirono's fair trade-themed run a few years back also indicated.)