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WILKES-BARRE — Before Republican Congressman Lou Barletta can run against Democratic U.S. Senator Bob Casey, he will have to prevail over several other contenders for his own party’s nomination.
That includes state Reps. Rick Saccone, R-Allegheny, and Jim Christiana, R-Beaver, plus Berwick Borough Councilman Andrew Shecktor and fellow businessmen Paul Addis, Jeff Bartos and Bobby Lawrence.
Despite the crowded field, most political observers feel Barletta will earn the GOP nod in next May’s primary, and that might explain while he’s already come under fire from Democrats — most notably the Pennsylvania Democratic Party.
Max Steele, spokesman for state Democrats, said Pennsylvania will be home to one of the most important Senate races in the country in 2018.
“Voters are looking for someone who will fight to level the playing field for workers, help businesses create good paying jobs, protect seniors and work to lower the costs of health care,” Steele said. “Sen. Casey has spent his entire career fighting to do just that, and Pennsylvanians know they can trust him to stand strong for the middle class.”
Steele then focused on Barletta, saying he has supported privatizing Social Security, using vouchers for Medicare and just recently voted to end protections for pre-existing conditions and force seniors to pay an age tax for health care.
Steele said Barletta has backed unfair trade deals that hurt Pennsylvania workers, including deals with Korea, Colombia and Panama. He said Casey has demonstrated he can work across the aisle to actually get things done.
“Congressman Barletta seems to spend most of his time grandstanding and voting in lockstep with congressional leadership,” Steele said. “There will be a clear contrast in this race between the eventual Republican nominee and Sen. Casey, who has established a strong record of delivering for Pennsylvanians. Sen. Casey will put his record of fighting for the middle class up against anyone’s, and we look forward to making our case over the next year.”
The race figures to get quite expensive. Just last year, incumbent Republican Sen. Pat Toomey barely defeated Democrat Katie McGinty in a campaign battle that set a national record for money spent — $176 million.
Barletta began his announcement video Tuesday by stating he has been a successful small business owner and former mayor of Hazleton. He says he is running to be a leader who listens to the people of Pennsylvania and fights for them in Washington.
He pledged to work to protect American jobs, repeal and replace Obamacare, lower middle class taxes, secure the nation’s borders, fix infrastructure, and put America — and Pennsylvania — first.
In his campaign pitch for donations, Barletta borrowed a line from the man he helped become president.
“I hope I can count on you to join my campaign team,” Barletta said. “Simply go to LouBarletta.com, and sign up, and you will be sending a loud and clear message that you have joined the effort to make Pennsylvania, and America, great again.”
Dems have built-in edge
Barletta noted that he grew up working with his family in road construction and he and his wife, Mary Grace, started a line-painting business with only $29.95. From those humble beginnings, he said they grew that business into the largest of its kind in Pennsylvania and the sixth largest in the country.
Barletta gained national attention for being the first mayor in America to champion — and then shepherd to adoption — an ordinance dealing with illegal immigration. He said that law has served as a blueprint for many other communities across the United States facing similar issues.
In 2010, Barletta defeated 26-year incumbent Democrat Paul Kanjorski in a district where Democrats significantly outnumbered Republicans. Barletta won his most recent re-election to Congress by 28 points.
Barletta listed several of his accomplishments in Congress:
• Saving taxpayers $3.5 billion as chairman of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee’s Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management by moving federal agencies into smaller spaces and forcing them to negotiate long-term leases.
• Successfully leading the push to exempt volunteer firefighters from Obamacare’s Employer Mandate, which would have forced fire companies across Pennsylvania and the United States to close.
• Leading negotiations on legislation addressing our nation’s heroin and opioid crisis, which included his language to protect babies born addicted to drugs.
• Continuing to work to stop illegal immigration by introducing legislation to de-fund sanctuary cities, make overstaying a visa a criminal offense, and levy a 2 percent fee on wire transfers sent south of the border to help pay for the border wall.
Barletta was one of the first members of Congress to publicly endorse Donald Trump for president. He served as Trump’s Pennsylvania campaign co-chair and was named to the Executive Committee of Trump’s Transition Team.
Casey is running for a third, six-year term next year in a state where Democrats hold a 4-to-3 ratio registration edge over Republicans. Casey is one of 10 Democrats nationwide defending a seat next year in a state won by Trump.