Tom Marino wrote a letter of reference for Louis Denaples when he was trying to get his slots license, the licensing is now under grand jury investigation, an indictment could follow.

Marino was also U.S. Attorney in the Middle District of Pennsylvania while the Luzerne County scandal was unfolding. Harrisburg is also part of the Middle District as is Scranton. The Luzerne County investigation is also moving into Scranton, I’m not sure if they can get 23 indictments there, but more commisioners, judges and maybe a businessman isn’t out of the question.

I hope Pat Toomey also makes Marino an issue in his race against Arlen Specter, I believe Specter was the senior Republican U.S. Senator for Pennsylvania at the time of Marino’s appointment.

It’s awfully late for Derk and Marino to get into this race, especially given that neither candidate has the resources to self-fund like Hackett and Meuser did — and those two started their campaigns in August/September of 2007. Nobody raises money over the holidays, so they really won’t be able to get things going until January, and then they’ll have to spend money against each other in the Republican primary (whereas Carney will probably be unchallenged in the Democratic primary).

Combine that with a general lack of GOP enthusiasm about the 10th District race after the 2008 race: Hackett got crushed, and Meuser supporters feel that they got burned. Derk and Marino will have a hard time convincing the big GOP donors in the 10th that they can succeed where Hackett and Meuser failed. After the bloodbath in 2008, I certainly wouldn’t want to break out my checkbook for either of these guys — and Carney is gaining more GOP support every day.

Point being, I think that both challengers will be woefully underfunded. This is an especially big problem for Derk, who has virtually no name recognition outside Snyder and Union counties. You can win a race without money, it’s true, but Hackett and Meuser shows that it’s pretty hard to win a race against Chris Carney even if you DO have money.

The general election is 11 months away, which is an eternity in politics. It’s way too soon to say that the Republican candidates in the 10th won’t be able to raise the money or get support from national leaders. Carney is clearly in a better position- but i don’t buy that he is getting more Republican support every day. He voted for the two biggest issues that Republicans have already said they would exploit- the stimulus package and the healthcare bill.

I also think it’s a dangerous thing in politics to draw conclusions for future races based on previous elections. A democratic congressman in PA10 will always be extremely vulnerable. And Chris Hackett was viewed by many as unlikable. From what I’ve heard of Malcolm Derk and Mike Peifer, they are both very likable which means everything in these races. Money gives you attention but you can’t simply buy a race. If that were the case the best funded candidates would always win.

Dan-
Grammatical nitpicking:

“Looks like Congressman Chris Carney (D-10) could soon have a couple more serious opponents.” But, then you mention Republican Malcolm Derk (who you didn’t identify as a Republican).

When I first read this, I thought it meant he was going to have primary opponents. Carney’s going to have only one GOP opponent. So actually, there is just another challenger to become his opponent.

It’s a shame, because I would like to see Carney with a Primary opponent to steer him a bit more to the Left.

Dan, I have to say, you picked the right time to have a PA2010 website, because this is the one-stop-shopping place for all this stuff.

It isn’t the time to be talking about left-wing challengers to Democrats in solidly-conservative districts like the 10th.

Mr. Carney doesn’t pass all the Democratic litmus tests, but the only real alternative to a conservative Democrat in a district like this is a conservative Republican. If he gets knocked off in the primary by a liberal, that liberal will LOSE in the general. And then you’ll have a Republican that won’t back a single Democratic initiative.

Now, if on the other hand, the 10th gets redistricted to where it has more Democratic voters, that’s a slightly different story. In any event, that’s a conversation for 2012.

State Representative Mike Peifer announced this morning that he is not going to take on Congressman Chris Carney.

flynnbw-
A Democratic Primary challenger might at least push Carney to the Left for a few months.

A primary challenge might push Rep. Carney to the left — but only to his detriment in the general election!