advertisement
Sam

send to a friend | print | comment

O’Brien launching campaign with 30 sleepless hours

O’Brien launching campaign with 30 sleepless hours

Lackawanna County Commissioner Corey O’Brien formally entered the race for the 11th Congressional District Saturday morning, and he did it by promising to start campaigning for 30 hours, non-stop.

O’Brien, who is running against Congressman Paul Kanjorski in next year’s Democratic primary, said his two-day, no-sleep bus tour would travel to neighborhoods, restaurants and more in Carbon, Columbia, Lackawanna, Luzerne and Monroe counties, which make up the district.

After announcing his candidacy on the steps of his childhood home in Dunmore, O’Brien said in a statement: “For far too long, politicians have been catering to special interests while leaving people in our region to fend for themselves. I’m running for Congress to replace the old-style politics with new-style leadership, by promoting job growth, encouraging health care reform, holding myself to a higher ethical standard and working to strengthen our children’s educational opportunities.”

While Kanjorski has been seen as vulnerable in general elections, he remains popular among Democrats. And O’Brien will have a steep fundraising challenge ahead of him, with Kanjorski known as a potent fundraiser.

UPDATE: Kanjorski responds

October 3, 2009 at 12:04 pm

--Dan Hirschhorn

Tags: , ,

comments

comments [10] | post a comment

  1. David Diano

    Oct 3rd, 2009

    Is he going to 24/7 diners and truck stops? Who’s awake at 3 am?

  2. Brian Kline

    Oct 3rd, 2009

    I don’t think it matters who O’Brien meets at 3am, rather he wants to create a narrative that suggests energy and vitality. He’s taking a page from the 2008 Dem playbook that sought to raise questions about McCain’s age.

  3. The Scranton Guardian

    Oct 3rd, 2009

    I rather see candidates campaigning at 24/7 diners and truck stops than campaigning at their children’s homes.

  4. Mike

    Oct 3rd, 2009

    This guy is a lunatic.

  5. The Purple Cobra

    Oct 3rd, 2009

    If not having appropriated $10 million in tax dollars for a family member yet makes him a lunatic, I’ll vote for a lunatic over what we have now. Kanjo is done.

  6. 6th Watcher

    Oct 3rd, 2009

    I have no idea where the 11th District is but this has to be dumbest idea to get attention I’ve seen in a while.

  7. Party Chair

    Oct 4th, 2009

    It’s not a dumb idea. It’s symbolic. Paul Kanjorski hasn’t been door-to-door in a primary campaign since 1986. He hasn’t visited the people that matter. Average working people and that’s why he’s going to lose. He has never faced a fight from his own party and has been able to move to the right on issues like immigration, choice, labor, etc…and the netroots are going to make him pay for it.

  8. O'Brien

    Oct 4th, 2009

    Corey will get out fundraised and will lose–nobody with half a brain should disagree with that. Until we see Corey with significant money in the bank or legitimate polling showing him beating Kanjo in the primary there is zero reason to think he has a snowball’s chance in he’ll of winning.

    However, winning in 2010 may not be Corey’s goal. He may be looking to raise his 11th district name ID in an effort to set up a run when Kanjo retires.

  9. 6th Watcher

    Oct 4th, 2009

    Party Chair,

    We need another “Symbolic” move like we need Bush back in office. I believe the average person who sees that headline will think it is a dumb idea. Whomever came up with it is already giving this guy bad advice.

    I like the idea of new young guns coming in and trying to get rid of these career politicians. Heck, currently I think I’m a big fan of one of those in the 6th. But headlines like the O’Brien is trying to get does not win me over.

  10. David Diano

    Oct 4th, 2009

    Well, at least he didn’t try doing a 67-county world wind tour. :-)

Leave a Reply


- will not be published


pa2010.com blogs