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Barletta: Kanjorski doesn’t have Obama this year

NEW YORK—Republicans were pretty confident they would unseat Congressman Paul Kanjorski (D-11) last year. If the mood at Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta’s reception here Friday is any indication, they’re almost cocky this time.

Amid chatter of things being different in Barletta’s third run against Kanjorski this decade, Republicans took solace in one key political change: Barack Obama will not be on the ballot.

“There’s no Barack Obama this year,” Barletta told pa2010.com during a brief interview. “Congressman Kanjorski was able to ride Obama’s coattails last year.”

Barletta said he would also be aided by an earlier start this year than he had last cycle. And he said a campaign mailer his committee recently sent out to help retire $250,000 had quickly netted more than $25,000. And while any money raised from now on goes to his 2010 campaign, Barletta said the sentiments behind the donations had encouraged him to try again.

“It wasn’t the money that mattered most to me,” he said, “it was the notes and prayers that people attached.”

December 11, 2009 at 5:58 pm

--Dan Hirschhorn

Tags: Lou Barletta, PA-11, Paul Kanjorski, Pennsylvania Society

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