A boring upcoming election

Most of the PA legislature seats in Luzerne County are uncontested. John Yudichak and Lisa Baker may get a third party challenge but will cruise to reelection to the state Senate. Eddie Day, Mike Carroll, Jerry Mullery and my favorite party girl Tarah Toohil don't have an opponent for state rep in the fall.

The most interesting races are Karen Boback being challenged by Laura Dickson and the open seat being vacated by Phyliis Mundy's retirement.  Eilleen Cipriani is the hands down favorite to succeed one of my favorite state reps although Aaron Kaufer has been working very hard.

The most interesting race is the 117th District which has been redrawn to include Wyoming County and local official Laura Dickson is looking to work the home field. I don't know what it is but the local Republicans out there have a thing for making Karen Boback's life misarable. Davis Haire took her on in the primary this time and James May went after her earlier. I think Dickson's best chance is a depressed GOP turnout because Tom Corbett has pissed off just about everybody on both sides of the aisle. 
 

Dairy issues may be a key

Tom Marino is short on cash

Marino has $11K on hand for campaign

What a big disappointment this has to be for not only the Marino campaign but for the Republicans hopes for retaking the House. He only raised about $80K this reporting period compared with the six digit numbers being reported by other GOP challengers. In contrast, Congressman Chris Carney has brought in $173K during the reporting period and has $792K in the bank.

You can read Marino's 2nd Q report here. Some of his donors are familiar Don Ely, Harold Flack, Davis Haire, Dan Meuser and the Tunkhannock Strangler himself former Congressman Don Sherwood.

What I find interesting is who is missing. None of the GOP House leadership PACS or the NRCC has pitched in to help him.

Marino had a competitive primary that he had to spend money to win but it's been a month and a half since then. From what I know a candidate in either party has to show some fundraising ability before the national committees will commit to helping them. He has failed that test.

There a few bright spots in his CFR. He attracted the support of the lunatic fringe such as the Eagle Forum and Sarah Palin sent $3500.

NCFE reports:

Sarah Palin wants you to contribute to SarahPAC so that she can support conservative candidates. Funny, but her recent campaign disclosure notes that for while $87,500 was distributed to candidates, almost three times as much money, $210,000 was spent on consultants.

Last year Sarah Palin pulled in $2.13 million but spent only about $57,000 on candidates and causes.

I don't think that Sarah Palin is as stupid as many people think. Anyone who could parley a VP gig into $12 million in endorsements, book deals,etc. is on the ball. I do think that she is willfully ignorant about issues.

Sarah Palin campaign was a 'train wreck', insiders say



"Palin couldn't explain why North Korea and South Korea were separate nations. She didn't know what the Fed [the Federal Reserve] did. Asked who attacked America on 9/11, she suggested several times that it was Saddam Hussein. Asked to identify the enemy that her son would be fighting in Iraq, she drew a blank. Later, on the p
lane, Palin said to her team: 'I wish I'd paid more attention to this stuff'."

Meet the candidate

Congressman Paul Kanjorski (PA-11) will be in Hazle Twp today at the Humboldt Industrial Park North at 10Am. Congressman Kanjorski and Luzerne County Commissioners’ Chairwoman Maryanne Petrilla will speak at the event.





Chris Hackett has a Wayne and Pike Meet and Greet tomorrow Tue Mar 25 7-9Pm at Bennoco's in Hamlin (Rte 590).

The next edition of the Great Debate between Chris Hackett and Dan Meuser will take place Wed Mar 26 7pm – 9pm at the Tunkhannock Area Middle School. After the events of the past week this should be fun

A request. I can't make this meeting so if someone wants to write up an objective account of the encounter I will be happy to post it. A transcript would be great.

Haire drops PA-10 bid

To my disappointment Davis Haire withdrew from the race for the Republican nomination in the Pennsylvania 10th Congressional District. When this started I was hoping for 10 GOP challengers to freshman Democrat Chris Carney and for a while it looked like I might get my wish. But now it's down to a 2 man race between Dan Meuser and Chris Hackett.

From Davis Haire's press release:

I want to thank all of my supporters who worked so hard over the last few months on my behalf. The time and energy of so many friends, family and neighbors has been very humbling to me, and I cannot begin to describe my appreciation for their loyalty. I won't forget it," said Haire. "I recognize the uphill climb our campaign has against the money of Mr. Hackett and Mr. Meuser, but I am hopeful that whoever the Republican nominee is, he is able to articulate a winning conservative message of lower taxes, tough borders, affordable healthcare and protecting our family farms."

At this time, Haire will not be endorsing either Republican candidate.

Both Hackett and Meuser said nice things about him in the TL.

Davis Haire weighs in

CHRIS HACKETT HAS ALREADY VIOLATED HIS OWN GIMMICKY PLEDGE TO END PORK

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Thousands in Contributions to Democrats + $707,000 County Contract = Hackett Violating Pork Pledge

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(Tunkhannock, PA) - In response to a gimmicky Earmark Pledge cooked up by Chris Hackett's campaign today, the Davis Haire campaign blasted Hackett's hypocrisy since he's personally violated the links between contributions and government pork listed in the pledge. Over the last two years, Hackett's questionable contributions to county politicians - Democrat politicians - were followed by a $707,000 county contract in Luzerne County, as reported by the Citizen's Voice last month.

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"Dr. Haire already stated his opposition to earmark abuse months ago," said Tom Whitehead, Campaign Manager. "But Chris Hackett should have read the pledge first, since he's guilty of violating the linkage between campaign contributions and pork listed in the pledge. It is hypocritical for Hackett to say he's opposed to wasteful spending since he's personally taken a $707,000 pork barrel government contract from Luzerne County after giving thousands of dollars to the Democratic Commissioners who authorized the contract. Republicans know better and can see through this charade."

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On January 22, the Citizen's Voice reported Hackett gave $6,000 to Democrat Commissioners Greg Skrepenak and Todd Vonderheid in 2006, and for nearly a year and a half, the county paid Hackett's company $707,000. The Eighth Point in the pledge seeks to end the links between campaign contributions and government pork.

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Dan Meuser is no stranger to financially supporting Democrats either. Since 2002, Meuser and his company gave at least $39,150 to liberal Democrats Hillary Clinton, Ed Rendell, liberal Congressman Charlie Rangel, and Rep. Paul Kanjorski, who will now turn around and use Meuser's money to take on illegal immigration fighter and conservative Republican Lou Barletta.

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"Dr. Haire is the only true conservative Republican in this race and the only candidate who was raised here. He believes in making the tax cuts permanent, securing our borders, making English our official language, and making healthcare affordable through market based solutions instead of Hillary-style socialized medicine," added Whitehead. "He is the only Republican who can stand up and beat Chris Carney in the fall."

New Chris Hackett TV ad

In a press release Republican Pennsylvania 10th CD candidate Chris Hackett took another shot at incumbent Chris Carney over earmarks. Carney has said he is proud of being the Freshman Pork Champ and Hackett is making opposition to earmarks his signature issue. He signed the Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) Earmark Reform Pledge and says:

We need to work to restore confidence in our elected officials and establish a commitment to be as fiscally responsible with citizens' tax dollars as they are with their paychecks. The only answer is an open, transparent, and honest process. This cannot be achieved within the current earmark system," Hackett said in a letter to his opponents.

"When elected to Congress, I will not only abide by this pledge, but will fight to end the corrupt earmarking process altogether. The CAGW pledge is only a good starting point, a minimal effort that I would think all candidates could easily join me in supporting if they are truly opposed to wasteful pork spending," Hackett added.

The CAGW recently named PA Congressman Jack Murtha it's Porker of the Year. And I know how much my Republican friends like Murtha.

In a statement to the CV, Dan Meuser, one of Hackett’s Republican opponents, called the pledge “political gamesmanship.” Meuser said he supports eliminating earmarks, giving the president the right to veto specific earmarks and Congress voting on earmarks one by one.

The other 10th CD Republican candidate, Davis Haire, has stated on his website that he also opposed to earmarks:

Too often Washington politicians care more about spending your tax dollars to win votes back home, then thinking first about your wallet.

This is a good ad that drives home the point

Update: Congressman Carney reponds

CARNEY: WILL KEEP FIGHTING FOR FEDERAL FUNDING

"These projects will create jobs right here"

Clarks Summit, PA—Chris Carney issued the following response to attacks on the federal funding he delivered for the people of northeast and central Pennsylvania:

"These projects will create jobs right here—good, high paying jobs that will help our communities. These appropriations bills pass Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support, both Republicans and Democrats believe in sound federal investment. At best Hackett is tragically misinformed about how to invest in our community, at worst he is just trying to score cheap political points."

Chris Hackett, one of several potential Republican candidates for Congress, has challenged Chris Carney's commitment to public service and his work to bring jobs and investment to the region.

Carney brought more federal investment back to the district than any other new Member of Congress.

10th CD update

The big news in the race today is that Dan Meuser still hasn't moved into his new house in Harveys lake.

Meuser still lives in 11th District, not 10th, petitions show

His explanation: “After doing a little research, we learned that this address needed to reflect where my family spends the predominance of their time,” Meuser said. “Therefore, as my renovations are taking a little longer than expected at Harveys Lake, we decided to use the old address on the petition to fully comply both with the letter and the spirit of the law.”Meuser said he hopes to move “in the near future” and would vote in Harveys Lake in the April 22 primary election.

This has raised a number of questions and Davis Haire’s campaign manager pounced on the news:

“There aren’t too many people in this district who can afford a second house for half a million dollars, especially one purchased for the sole purpose of trying to legitimize a candidacy for Congress,” Whitehead said. “At the end of the day, Davis Haire is the only one who’s actually grown up in this district, the only rural conservative Republican in the race, and the only Republican candidate who can win the general election.”

A local politico had this reaction:

I find the whole situation a little suspicious. While you don't have to live in the district, just in the state, to run, people who circulate petitions for a candidate must reside in the district, just as someone signing. So in Meuser's case he technically could not sign his own petition, nor could he circulate his own petition. There is a place on the bottom for the person who circulates must sign and the signature must be notarized.

I find it odd that someone who is running farmed out his entire petition circulating duties... I wonder if he circulated the petitions himself at all, or is he just paying people off to do it? If he circulated any himself did he sign at the bottom? And what kind of message does it send to those that signed, that the candidate couldn't sign his own petition?

I don't care where he lives because the Constitution says you only have to be a resident of the state that you represent. But you have to wonder how long the renovations of the new house are going to take. Maybe they will be finished sometime in November if he is successful and if not he has a nice remodeled house with a swanky address to put on the market. And who pays $500,000 for a fixer-upper?

Until 2002 all of Luzerne County was part of the 11th CD and you wonder why this good Republican wouldn't run against Kanjorski if he really wanted to make a change. It's not like he gave money to him or anything?

Another question is can he vote in Harveys Lake if he doesn't actually live there? I remember a case from a few years ago when someone was appointed to the Wyoming Valley West School Board but was disqualified because he was using his father's address in Wilkes-Barre to vote. He had to pay a fine for falsifying his voter registration.

Chris Hackett's campaign declined to comment on the residency issue but picked up the support of a former rival:

Congressional Candidate Paul Swiderski Endorses Chris Hackett

DALLAS, PA – Today, Paul Swiderski, former congressional candidate for the 10th district, endorsed Chris Hackett to continue his battle to bring a principled grassroots conservative voice to Washington.

"Throughout my campaign, I was impressed with Chris Hackett and his principled stands on issues. His emphasis on bringing jobs to our region, securing the border, and ending wasteful spending is exactly what we need in Washington," said Swiderski.

"As an accountant, I am acutely aware of the plight of the hard working families of the 10th district. They work overtime, they cut expenses, in an effort to make ends meet, but the government takes such a large portion of their income. I know Chris will be a fighter for lower taxes and lower spending and that's a major reason for my endorsement."
"I am honored to have the endorsement of Paul Swiderski," said Chris Hackett, "He is a proud and principled Republican who I am sure will continue to work hard for our party, our region, and our country."

Pennsylvania 10th CD update

Davis Haire was campaigning in Bradford County Tuesday and got some nice press in the Towanda paper. Some choice quotes:

“I’m very concerned about the future of our country...I had it better than my parents, and they had it better than their parents. If we don’t start to turn things around, I’m afraid our children and grandchildren won’t have the same opportunities we had.”

Haire said his campaign “won’t spend a ton of money.”

Haire said he believes in capitalism and small government, but the energy crisis is so important that it needs “national coordination"... “If we determined that 5 percent of our national energy should be from rural-based independent wind energy, the national energy agency would put out bids for research and development of a wind tower.”

There is a “valid sense of urgency” in the United States today about weaning the country off foreign oil “so we can’t succumb to political correctness all the time,” he said.

Dan Meuser's website got a facelift adding a media center that has his 2 TV ads but still doesn't list his schedule.

Chris Hackett added a schedule to his website and I heard a new radio spot touting his recent endorsements on WILK yesterday. When they add it to the site I will provide a link. On Tuesday I dropped by Hackett's HQ for his Petition Party and the place was buzzing with people coming and going with their petitions to get notarized. Chris told me that he expects to have 2 or 3 times the number of the necessary signatures. But it wasn't much of a party because I was expecting some booze, blarring music and dancing girls. Instead they had the Super Tuesday coverage on the TV, some bottled water and Mrs. G was the only dancing girl in the place. Oh, those wild Republicans. On the way there we passed the Meuser HQ, it looked dark.

Meet the candidate

Congressman Paul Kanjorski has a busy Monday planned.

He will be in Monroe County to make an announcement to help homeowners facing potential foreclosures. I received a nice glossy mailer (left) telling us of his concern. The big announcement will be at the Monroe County Administration Building , Public Meeting Room, #203, 1 Quaker Plaza Stroudsburg, PA.

Later in the day he will be talking to some students at Pocono Mountain West High School, Route 940 West, Pocono Summit, PA .

Congressman Chris Carney will be having another town hall meeting at 3:00 PM on Friday, February 22nd at the Northumberland County Career and Arts Center in Shamokin. And he will be having a campaign event titled Kiss the Blarney with Congressman Carney at Genetti's, 1505 Main Street, Dickson City, PA on March 7th.

The Republican 10th CD challengers will be out and about.

Paul Swiderski will be at the Woodloch, Hawley, PA on Monday, February 5th. On Saturday, February 9th you can find him at the Muir House102 State Route 2001, Milford, PA. As a public service to both my readers in Lewisburg he will be at At Vic’s Pub (inside the Victoria House), 2167 Old Turnpike Road, Lewisburg, PA on Monday, February 11th.

You can find a list of all of Swiderski's events here.

If you want to show support for Chris Hackett he is having a Petition Signing Party at his HQ, 23 Dallas Shopping Center, Dallas, PA on Tuesday, Feb. 5th. I'm off work that day and just might make it. It's not on the website calendar yet, get on the stick guys, but his campaign manager informed another blogger that he will be having a meet and greet at the Harveys Lake Grotto on on Feb.11th at 7:00 PM. Dave, you're breaking my heart.

The SU College Republicans will be hosting Davis Haire on Feb 12th. They recently had Paul Swiderski in for a chat. And on Feb. 27th they are sponsoring the first GOP Congressional Primary Debate.

State Rep candidate James May will be kicking off his effort to replace Karen Boback in the 117th district on February 11th at the Twin Stack Center, Natona Room, 1100 North Memorial Highway, Dallas.

Again, a note to all campaigns. Tell me where you guy/girl is going to be and I will be happy to pass it along.

The money primary

The FEC Pennsylvania 10th CD page has been updated with the raw numbers from the candidates that have filed to date. It doesn't have Paul Swiderski's report yet and Davis Haire is showing he has raised only $450 so far. Chris Hackett and Dan Meuser have about the same amount of cash on hand as of 12/31/07.

Meuser's campaign is happy with the numbers. From a press release:

Momentum for Meuser Continues

Large crowds, major endorsements and fundraising propel Meuser

Today, the Federal Election Commission made available fundraising reports from the Fourth Quarter of 2007. This is the first time the Republican field and the sitting Congressman reported fundraising together. Off the heels of major endorsements and his district wide 2008 Campaign kick-off Tour, Dan Meuser reported over 400k raised in the 4th Quarter.

Meuser out raised Congressman Carney by a 2-1 margin, with the Congressman raising a little over $200,000, and his nearest GOP competitor by over a 5-1 margin, as he raised $70,000 from individuals. Meuser also had 4 times the number of donors as his nearest GOP competitor.

“I am humbled and grateful for the out pouring of support our campaign has received through out the district,” Meuser said. “We will continue work hard and earn the support and trust of voters in the 10th”

Senator Rick Santorum, Mayor Lou Barletta as well as former candidates Ely and Peters have strengthened Dan Meuser’s conservative credentials in his run for the Republican nomination in Pennsylvania’s 10th Congressional District. Dan is honored to have General Dan O’Neill, Keith Eckel and Representative Merle Phillips as the Honorary Chairman for our Campaign to win the Republican nomination.

In addition to the fundraising and endorsements, Dan recently traveled the district kicking off the primary campaign. Dan attracted over 1,000 people combined at events in Northumberland, Luzerne, Lackawanna, Bradford, Pike and Wayne Counties.

My last 10th CD post

For this week. Davis Haire has his website up.

He bills himself as The Rural Conservative. So far the site has the basics such as his bio and some policy positions such as the usual Republican stuff on immigration, making English the official language, cutting taxes and shockingly points out that the government wastes money.

On health care he wants blow up the whole concept of the pooled risk of insurance with Health Savings Accounts and uses the buzzwords "Hillary-style socialized medicine." But he wants more government health care and other services for veterans.

Breaking the mold he cites President Kennedy with a call for an Apollo type program to break our dependence on foreign oil. Then returns to form by saying he likes to shoot guns, loves farmers and hates lawyers.

Davis Haire for Congress

I didn't get a press release and I can't find a website for this guy but he is in the 10th CD Pennsylvania Congresssional race for the Republican nomination to oppose Democratic freshman Chris Carney. From the CV:

A Tunkhannock optometrist who has called the rural counties of Northeastern Pennsylvania home for the last 54 years now wants to represent them in Washington.

Some choice quotes:

I’ve spent more than 30 years talking and meeting and dealing with people in all walks of life,” Haire said. “I understand what’s important to farmers, loggers, quarry men, factory workers and businessmen and women. I truly can be their best advocate in Washington.”

“We just need to get more jobs back here in our district,” Haire said. “We need to keep our talent home and not export our kids.”

"I want to restore to the people of our district that it’s not all about money,” he said. “It’s really a government for the people, by the people.”