Free Republic

The Republican aiming to derail Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta's latest run for Congress is a recently converted Democrat who contributed to Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign last year. Christopher Paige registered in Monroe County as a Democrat in September 2006 and did not switch to the Republican Party until March 30, 2009, according to county records. All told, he contributed almost $5,000 to state and federal Democratic candidates since 2004, according to a review of records compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics and the Pennsylvania Department of State. Mr. Paige contributed $2,300 to Mrs. Clinton's campaign last year; $250 to...

A former New York hedge fund executive is running for Congress against banking bête noir Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D-Pa.). As a Republican. From Kanjorski’s left. Christopher Paige said his opposition to the massive bank bailouts motivated his decision to run in the northeastern Pennsylvania district. But when talking about the bailout, Paige sounds more like the lifelong Democrat that he was rather than the newly-registered Republican he became to run for the seat, which Kanjorski has held for 13 terms. “‘Too big to fail’ should be ‘too big to exist,’” Paige told Reuters. He said he wants to strengthen anti-trust...