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…

December 11, 2009 at 5:58 pm | Comments (3)

Analysts see another close race in 11th District

Political watchers from Washington to Harrisburg widely considered Congressman Paul Kanjorski (D-11) to be the most vulnerable Democrat in Congress last year, but that didn’t stop Kanjorski from beating every prediction and

December 10, 2009 at 7:30 am | Comments (1)

Dems say Barletta’s old news… and raised taxes

After Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta once again

December 9, 2009 at 4:57 pm | Comments (0)

Paige: Thinking Barletta can win is the ‘definition of insanity’

Shortly after he was

December 9, 2009 at 4:51 pm | Comments (1)

Kanjorski camp: ‘Barletta is looking for strike three and you’re out’

Congressman Paul Kanjorski’s (D-11) campaign was quick to react Wednesday to Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta’s announcement that he

December 9, 2009 at 12:30 pm | Comments (1)

Barletta downplays campaign debt; aide notes earlier start

Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta said Wednesday that he won’t seek to pay back about $250,000 in campaign debt before again faces voters in the 11th District next year and that he welcomes having a primary opponent.

During a conference call with reporters after he

December 9, 2009 at 12:29 pm | Comments (0)

Barletta: Washington is ‘ignoring us’

Just over a year after narrowly losing in his bid to unseat Congressman Paul Kanjorski (D-11), Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta on Wednesday announced that he would seek Kanjorski’s job for the third time this decade, raising the stakes in an 11th District race that Republicans remain convinced they can win.

After weeks of speculation, Barletta made his announcement on a full story

December 9, 2009 at 12:17 pm | Comments (1)

Lou Barletta hoping third time’s the charm

Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta announced Wednesday morning that he will run for Congress again next year, his third time seeking the 11th District seat in less than ten years.

Barletta makes his announcement in a Web video, embedded below.

Log-on later for complete coverage.

December 9, 2009 at 10:05 am | Comments (4)

Barletta to decide on congressional run next week

By this time next week, we should know whether or not Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta will make a third run in the 11th Congressional District.

Responding to a flurry of inquiries, Barletta’s senior political adviser e-mailed reporters to say an announcement would come next Wednesday. He did not hint at which way Barletta, who narrowly lost to incumbent Democrat Paul Kanjorski last year, is leaning.

“This is an [important] decision and Mayor Barletta is giving…

December 2, 2009 at 9:00 pm | Comments (4)

In deciding whether to run again, Barletta has campaign debt to retire

Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta may very well run for Congress a third time next year. But first, he’s got a little $250,000-problem to take care of.

That’s about how much campaign debt Barletta has on the books, according to campaign finance data. And with his top political adviser saying a final decision on whether or not to run should be coming before Christmas, Barletta is turning his attention to retiring the debt from his previous…

November 25, 2009 at 9:00 am | Comments (4)