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Pa.’s 11Th District

By Bill O'Boyle boboyle@timesleader.com
Times Leader Staff Writer
Bill O'Boyle on Facebook   |   @TLBillOboyle on Twitter

Democrat Paul Kanjorski survived the toughest challenge of his political career Tuesday.

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U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorski gets an embrace from a supporter at the Stadium Club in Moosic Tuesday.

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Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta surrounded by his family, from left, daughters Grace, Lindsey, wife Mary Grace, daughters April and Kelly during his concession speech in Hazle Township Tuesday.

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Kanjorski, of Nanticoke, turned back a formidable effort by his Republican challenger, Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta, to hold onto the 11th Congressional District seat and earn his 13th term in Washington.

According to unofficial results, Kanjorski had 142,720 votes to 133,365 for Barletta as of press time.

The race was close for most of the night with Barletta taking a nearly 5,000-vote advantage out of Luzerne County.

But Kanjorski pulled strength from Lackawanna and Monroe counties to pull off the victory.

“It is a special moment and I was thinking what this moment means to America,” Kanjorski said as he greeted supporters at The Stadium Club in Moosic. “It is a win for every Democratic and every citizen in northeastern Pennsylvania.”

Kanjorski said he knew the race would be close, and wondered what would happen if he did lose. But Kanjorski said he realized he couldn’t lose because so much needed to be done.

“I don’t know if I can work any harder, but I am going to try to work harder,” he said.

Kanjorski told supporters he received a congratulatory call at 11:13 p.m. from Barletta.

Barletta addressed a crowd of more than 300 supporters at Genetti Best Western in Hazle Township shortly before midnight.

“A short while ago, I called the congressman and congratulated him on his victory,” Barletta said at 11:43 p.m. “I am proud of the campaign we ran; we worked hard and reached out to a lot of people. But we came up a little short.”

The race had become one of the most closely watched in the nation and some polls showed Barletta leading by a few points going into Election Day.

Kanjorski, who had built a massive war chest, poured on the advertising in the closing weeks and brought in the big guns – President Bill and Hillary Clinton – for an Election Eve rally in Wilkes-Barre.

U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-New York, called Kanjorski Tuesday night to offer congratulations.

With students from Catholic University of America leading the cheers of “two more years,” Barletta, 52, said it’s too early to decide on a third run for the elusive office.

“It’s time to rest and reflect,” Barletta said. “It really is too early for me to think of the future.”

Barletta thanked the volunteers and his staff and his family. He said if it wasn’t or the support of his wife, Marygrace, and their four daughters – Kelly, Linsey, April and Grace – he couldn’t have lasted so long on the campaign trail.

Barletta said there was an “Obama factor” in the race, especially in Monroe County.

“I think that was the difference,” he said.

Barletta said he ran a clean campaign and wouldn’t have done anything differently.

“Mr. Kanjorski will continue to represent us in these very difficult times and I wish him well,” Barletta said.

“We aren’t bitter. We will learn from this experience and move forward,” Barletta added.