Free Republic

In his third bid for Congress, Republican Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta is counting on a vastly different political climate than in his loss last year. Barletta railed against President Barack Obama's policies in a video on his campaign Web site Wednesday as he launched a third campaign for the seat held by 13-term Democratic Rep. Paul E. Kanjorski of Nanticoke. Barletta lost to Kanjorski in 2002 and 2008, but faces a potentially different race next year. First, unlike his earlier runs, he has a Republican opponent aggressively attacking him. Chris Paige, a Monroe County Republican challenging for the nomination, said...

If Republican Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta decides to seek his party's nomination to Congress again, he'll have competition. Chris Paige, 38, of Barrett Twp. in Monroe County, said Tuesday he will seek the Republican nomination for the seat currently occupied by U.S. Rep. Paul E. Kanjorski, D-11, Nanticoke. "I was outraged by the (Wall Street and automobile) bailouts, which I think are unconstitutional, and terrible economic policy," said Mr. Paige, a lawyer and the co-owner of a hedge fund, Paige Capital Management LLC. "I'm worried about the state of our economy and our unemployment situation." Mr. Paige claimed the bailouts...