By Jonathan Tallman 




Looking at the 11th Congressional District of Pennsylvania, I believe there is only one right candidate to take on Congressman Kanjorski, assuming that he finishes his term and seeks reelection.  The one choice who could take on the Lackawanna County Democrat, is Mayor Lou Barletta of Hazelton. 

To begin with, it is quite evident that Hazelton supports what their mayor is doing.  Barletta easily won reelection to a third term winning with over 94% of the vote in the Republican Primary in 2007, as well as winning a write-in campaign on the Democratic ticket by a 2-1 margin.

Why all the popularity for a tough ordinance that many polls say America is opposed to?  The answer is simple: the make-up of the 11th Congressional District.  If there is one thing that is true about Northeastern Pennsylvania, it is that it is made up of hard workers who put in an honest days work everyday.  The people of this area work hard for everything they earn, and they don't rely on others to provide for them.  Farmers, factory workers, and laborers make up this Congressional District.  Illegal immigrants in this area do not meet the same work ethic, for the most part.

It would be an uphill battle for Mayor Barletta to beat the twelve-termer, Kanjorski.  In a 2002 bid for Congress, Barletta received 42% of the vote against Kanjorski, losing by nearly 20,000 votes.  With a nepotic scandal staring Kanjorski in the face, this may just be the year that he could lose his seat to a well-known, respected Republican.

Mayor Barletta has said repeatedly that he does not plan on running for Congress, despite rumors that he has been talking to national Republican leaders in Washington D.C.  Right now, Barletta claims that he just wants to be mayor of Hazelton fighting for the ordinance he built his second term on.  We have heard this before from other politicians who later got into the race.  After all, Barack Obama claimed he wasn't going to run for president up until the end of last year.  As people get talking, and a could-be-candidate sees his own potential taking him somewhere greater, he may just be forced to take up the tough challenge and take on the popular Kanjorski.