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By KENNETH P. VOGEL Times Leader Harrisburg Bureau
Wednesday, March 13, 2002 Page: 1A
Hazleton Mayor Louis Barletta hasn’t officially declared his intention to
run for U.S. Congress against nine-term Democratic U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorski,
but already it appears as if the gloves are coming off.
On Tuesday morning a Barletta confidant filed a nominating petition at the
office of the Department of State in Harrisburg, though the first-term
Republican mayor said Tuesday he won’t announce his intention until later this
week.
Kanjorski’s camp wasn’t waiting until then, with campaign consultant Ed
Mitchell on Tuesday night questioning Barletta’s motivations and those of his
backers.
Petitions were due by 5 p.m. Tuesday and unofficial information showed that
in addition to Kanjorski, at least six other legislators representing the
county could face challenges.
But a possible Kanjorski-Barletta matchup would likely highlight local
races, which many expect will serve as an under card to an anticipated
heavyweight governor’s race.
Kanjorski of Nanticoke has not faced a stiff challenge in years but
Republican operatives believe he may be more vulnerable this time around
because of recent revelations that he has steered millions in federal money to
family-owned businesses and to purchase land owned by his family.
The National Republican Congressional Committee in the past month wooed at
least two other Republicans to run against Kanjorski, though Barletta now
appears to have their backing as well as that of U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum,
R-Pittsburgh.
National Republicans “ended up with a guy who is looking for something
else to do,” said Kanjorski campaign consultant Ed Mitchell, who pointed out
that Barletta last year was mentioned as a possible candidate for both
lieutenant governor and state representative.
Barletta, who has been credited with erasing the city’s deficit since
taking office in 2000, has said he was not interested in running for state
representative and that he was approached about being Fisher’s running mate.
Mitchell called a Barletta candidacy “a political vendetta on Santorum’s
part” against Kanjorski, who actively campaigned for Santorum’s last
opponent.
Santorum spokeswoman Susan Parrick, a Butler Township native, said her
boss’s support does not stem from ill-will for Kanjorski, but rather from his
confidence in Barletta, who said he’ll focus on his record and not the
allegations facing Kanjorski.
Conspicuously absent from the list of filers was Luzerne County Republican
Minority Commissioner Stephen A. Urban, who lost the last three elections to
Kanjorski. Urban had circulated petitions, but decided “I’m going to stay at
the county and finish up some things I started here.”
Challengers had filed to run against two of the area’s three state
senators:
Eighteen-year state Sen. Charles Lemmond, R-Dallas, could face a general
election challenge by Democrat John Petrizzo Jr. of East Stroudsburg. A
restaurateur who previously served as vice-chairman of the Monroe County
Democratic Committee, Petrizzo did not return phone calls, but he appears to
have the backing of the Democratic State Senate Campaign Committee. The group
sent out a press release announcing his candidacy.
Thirty-two year state Sen. Robert Mellow, D-Peckville, the Senate minority
leader, could face a general election challenge from Republican Frank Scavo of
Old Forge.
Challengers filed to run against at least four of the county’s state
representatives:
Hasay could face a challenge in the Republican primary from Joe O’Hara, an
engineering writer from Dorrance. A political newcomer, O’Hara said Hasay,
first elected in 1972, “has been in there too long. He’s out of touch with
the everyday person.”
Hasay, 53, countered that his seniority – he’s the longest-serving state
rep in the county – help him get things done. “This isn’t something that’s
automatic. The people have to send you back every two years so they like
something I’m doing.”
Also facing a potential primary challenge is state Rep. John Yudichak,
D-Nanticoke, a two-term incumbent, who asserted that Kanjorski tried to
recruit a candidate to challenge him as payback for his dad’s accusations that
the congressman abused his office for self-interest. Filing to run against
Yudichak was Dustin Grymko of Nanticoke, who did not return phone calls.
State Rep. Jim Wansacz, D-Old Forge, a one-term incumbent, could face a
general election challenge from Republican Dan Naylor, an auctioneer from
Factoryville. The president of Lackawanna Trail School Board, Naylor lost a
2000 Republican primary for the seat. He said he planned to spotlight
Wansacz’s vote against a pension hike he later accepted.
Twelve-year state Rep. Phyllis Mundy, D-Kingston, who also voted `no’ and
took the pension hike, could be opposed in the general election by Republican
Robb A. Henderson of Exeter.