A coalition of grassroots political activists has endorsed Berks County state Rep. Sam Rohrer for governor of Pennsylvania.

UNITEPA is a non-partisan grassroots organization comprised of five Pennsylvania chapters in Lancaster, Reading/Berks, South Eastern PA Region, Pottstown and Chester County with more than 1,000 members.

The groups are "dedicated to upholding the principles and values set forth by our Founding Fathers" and have vetted each gubernatorial candidate in accordance with those principles and values, according to a UNITEPA press release.

More from the group's endorsement of Rohrer, a Republican challenging Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett for the Republican nomination on May 18:

It has become crystal clear to UNITEPA, that Rep. Sam Rohrer, a true constitutional conservative, is the only gubernatorial Candidate that reflects our principles and values. He is the epitome of what our Founding Fathers and William Penn envisioned when they passed the baton onto the next generation of statesmen. This is an opportunity for Pennsylvania to finally see the return of a "culture of honor and integrity". Rohrer has been a humble servant to the people of Pennsylvania for over 18 years, and has a Constitutional voting record of over 20,000 votes. He wholeheartedly supports the second amendment, personal privacy rights, the 10th amendment, and the elimination of school property tax. He is a champion for the 'right to life', religious freedom, the expansion of school choice and is a sponsor for the Pennsylvania Marriage Protection Amendment.

UNITEPA's mission statement is "To educate and motivate voters to affect elections, preserve the principles and values set forth by America's founding documents and uphold the ideals of our Founding Fathers." We have educated and motivated voters and upheld the ideals of our founding fathers - it is time to affect elections by making a choice for Governor, before the choice is made for us!

This decision to "come out of the political closet" was not taken lightly as many of us are simply just concerned citizens moving into the political spectrum. But our hope is that by UNITEPA spearheading this endorsement effort, other Grassroots organization will follow suit. We are in a 'Freedom Recession' and this election is about Freedom, Liberty and Truth. With the encroachment and commandeering of the Federal Government on our Commonwealth, we have to elect a Governor that has conviction in what he/she believes. They must have humility, integrity, honor, good judgement and believe in personal responsibility. Sam Rohrer represents those values.

UNITPA goes on to say that its endorsement is a 'Principled Statement' - not a financial endorsement on behalf of the organization. "We have asked our members to support Sam Rohrer as individual citizens for the survival of our Constitution through financial contributions to his campaign and volunteering."

For more on Rohrer, visit his campaign Web site at www.samrohrer.org