PA 11- Possible Kanjorski Primary Challenger

[TeePee4Prez]

GOOD!  Time for him to go.  I only supported him myself because Barletta's a weasel.  Wonder what Al thinks of this?

O’Brien: Kanjorski’s vote against stimulus was ‘insulting’

A possible Democratic challenger to Congressman Paul Kanjorski (D-11) says Kanjorski’s vote against President Obama’s stimulus package in January was an affront to the voters who elected him.

Lackawanna County Commissioner Corey O’Brien, who is mulling a primary fight against the 24-year incumbent, said that Kanjorski’s vote—he was only one of 11 Democrats to buck the White House on the original bill—is one reason why he might take on the longtime Congressman.

“He voted against it because he felt there wasn’t enough Republican input, and that’s offensive,” O’Brien told pa2010.com Friday “We voted for the Congressman so he could represent our interests in Congress and support the President’s agenda.”

Only months after supporting Kanjorski in his narrow reelection bid, O’Brien could soon become the latest in a line of political challengers to the Nanticoke Democrat. In a generally anti-incumbent environment last year, Kanjorski was widely considered to be the most vulnerable Democrat in Congress. But he squeaked out a 3-point win over Republican Lou Barletta—a victory most independent analysts credited to a surge of voters for Obama

This time around, with the political climate almost certainly less favorable for Democrats than it was in 2008, Kanjorski could find reelection even more difficult.

“The problems that he had in the past, they’re still there,” state GOP chairman Rob Gleason said recently.

A Kanjorski campaign spokesman did not return multiple messages last week. But even at 72, he has given no indication that he won’t run again. As a senior member of the House Financial Services Committee, he has had a high-profile role in addressing the economic crisis—though his Republican critics say that attention hasn’t been to his benefit.

O’Brien, still a newcomer to elected office in only his first term as Commissioner, said he had supported Kanjorski last year because the Congressman was clearly in political trouble—polls leading up to Election Day showed him losing the race—and because he wanted a Democrat in office.

“It was very, very important from my standpoint that we send a Democrat to Congress to support President Obama’s agenda,” O’Brien said.

Since then, O’Brien hasn’t been the only Democrat disturbed by Kanjorski’s vote against the stimulus package (he eventually voted in favor of the final version). After pouring loads of money into protecting him last year, national Democrats may not be as willing to help the next time around.

State Democratic Party chairman T.J. Rooney played down the Democratic anger with Kanjorski and talk of his vulnerability

“Paul Kanorski’s a warrior,” Rooney said. “Whatever hard feelings there were at the time will pass. There have always been people who have said he couldn’t weather the storm, and he always does.”

Even as he bad-mouthed Kanjorski, O’Brien insisted that if he ran, it would be because of what he had to offer, not because of the incumbent—a balancing act that could be difficult if he keeps talking about Kanjorski.

“I’m not considering this because of Paul Kanjorski,” he said. “I’m considering this because I believe the vision I have for this region is fundamentally diferent and it’s a more long-term vision.”

It remains unclear who on the Republican side might vie for the 11th District seat, which also includes parts of Luzerne, Monroe and Carbon counties. Barletta, the Hazleton Mayor known for his tough stance on immigration, was said to be considering another go at Kanjorski. But after losing twice to Kanjorski this decade—he also ran in 2002—Barletta is now rumored to be more interested in a run for Lieutenant Governor.

Muhlenberg College pollster Chris Borick said it would be difficult for any Republican to unseat Kanjorski at this point.

“They had a chance with Barletta last time, but that ended up just collapsing,” he said.

--Dan Hirschhorn

[Keystone Phil]

Yeah, I saw this a few days ago. It should be interesting.

[Rob]

“He voted against it because he felt there wasn’t enough Republican input, and that’s offensive,” O’Brien told pa2010.com Friday “We voted for the Congressman so he could represent our interests in Congress and support the President’s agenda.”

Yeah, time to get this greaseball out of there. Voters in PA-11 really had a bad choice, between a corrupt conservative and a racist conservative...

[minionofmidas]

Probably safer with somebody else in it, too. As long as it's a local.

[TeePee4Prez]

“He voted against it because he felt there wasn’t enough Republican input, and that’s offensive,” O’Brien told pa2010.com Friday “We voted for the Congressman so he could represent our interests in Congress and support the President’s agenda.”

Yeah, time to get this greaseball out of there. Voters in PA-11 really had a bad choice, between a corrupt conservative and a racist conservative...

For me Kanjorski was clearly the lesser of two evils.  That's it.  I at least thought he was a labor Democrat, but clearly he isn't even that and the district might actually get more liberal in years to come.  Time to boot his ass out in the primary

[Badger]

Endorsed---wholeheartedly.

[TeePee4Prez]