PA 11th CD news

I have asked Congessman Lou Barletta and challenger Bill Vinsko for a statement on the withdraw of US troops from Iraq. I await their responses that I will but up verbatim.

Bill Vinsko had good start to his campaign fund raising gathering almost as much money in the last quarter as incumbent Barletta. Vinsko pulled in $85,000 and Mayor Lou raised $100,00 and spent it all but still has $200,000 cash on hand with a $230,00 debt owed to himself. You can read the FEC reports here.

I got an email from the Vinsko camp:

DCCC, media tout Bill Vinsko among nation’s top challengers.
Vinsko beats Marino, keeps pace with Barletta in 3rd Qtr Fundraising.
Tops all recent Democratic challengers from Northeast PA in first filing.

POLITICO reported today that Bill Vinsko was among the top Democratic challengers who on average beat Republican top challengers in 3rd quarter finance filings with the FEC by $50,000, according to numbers released by the DCCC.

“…Democratic CHALLENGERS against Republican Patriot Program members outraised Republican CHALLENGERS to Democratic Frontline members on average.”

– Politico Morning Score, October 19, 2011.

Vinsko for Congress raised $84,972, on par with the two sitting Republican Congressmen from Northeast Pennsylvania. Vinsko’s filing beat Congressman Tom Marino’s $80,776 and kept pace with Congressman Lou Barletta’s $100,196. While new congressional maps will not be published until January, Vinsko is expected to challenge Barletta in the Pennsylvania’s newly drawn 11th CD.

“I am pleased that the DCCC and national media have recognized what hundreds of Northeast Pennsylvanians have said with their individual contributions. We are tired of the Washington politicians who have done nothing to get our economy back on track, but instead have voted to end Medicare as we know it. Together, we are going to change that direction in November,” said Bill Vinsko, a small business owner and Assistant City Attorney of Wilkes-Barre.

Vinsko raised more money in his first quarter than any recent Democratic challenger from Northeast Pennsylvania:

BILL VINSKO (7/1/11 to 9/30/11) (Vinsko for Congress): $84,972
CHRIS CARNEY (7/1/05 to 9/30/05) (Carney for Congress): $28,283
COREY O'BRIEN (7/1/09 to 9/30/09) (Corey O'Brien for Congress): $26,400

And Vinsko also outraised Barletta, Marino and incumbent Democrat Tim Holden in individual (non-PAC)contributions to Northeast Pennsylvania campaigns:

Vinsko: $80,144
Barletta: $68,992
Holden: $59,475
Marino: $36,776

Vinsko got an up arrow from PoliticsPA. Hey Sy, include me in your blog roundup.