With $220,077 raised between April 5 and June 30, the Lou Barletta for Congress campaign committee moved closer to the $1 million plateau for the 2011-12 election cycle.
According to the financial report filed at Sunday’s Federal Election Committee mandated deadline, the Barletta campaign received $143,435 from individual donors and $76,642 from political committees such as PACs. With the newly reported income, the committee has received $982,158 since the start of 2011.
Barletta’s campaign spent $121,414 and reported $335,910 cash on hand as of July 1.
Among the well-known contributors are two former area congressmen – Joseph M. McDade, who gave $500, and Don Sherwood, who sent $1,000. Others include: Keith Eckel, a Clarks Summit farmer and member of the Penn State board of trustees, $1,000; Brandon Igdalsky, Pocono Raceway chief executive officer, $500; Richard L. Knoebel, owner of his namesake amusement park in Elysburg, $100; Rose Mattioli, owner of Pocono Raceway, $500; and Carl R. Urbanski, who on Sunday was elected chairman of the Luzerne County Republican Party, $200.
“As we approach the November election, those grassroots supporters coupled with the campaign’s strong financial position will allow Lou Barletta’s campaign to highlight his efforts to cut out-of-control spending; eliminate unnecessary, job-killing regulations; stop illegal immigration; and create a pro-growth, pro-jobs environment that puts the American economy back on the right track,” said campaign spokesman Lance Stange Jr.
Four of Barletta’s largest donations, each for $5,000, came from railroad-related PACs: BNSF Railway Co. RAILPAC, CSX Corp. Good Government Fund, Norfolk Southern Corp. Good Govt. Fund and the Union Pacific Fund for Effective Govt. Barletta is a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials.
Barletta, R-Hazleton, will face Democrat Gene Stilp, a Wilkes-Barre native who now resides in suburban Harrisburg, in the November election for the 11th Congressional District seat. Stilp’s report was not listed on the FEC website Monday and repeated messages and emails to Stilp and his campaign were not returned.
In the 10th Congressional District, which currently includes a portion of Luzerne County but because of redistricting will not beginning next year, incumbent U.S. Rep. Tom Marino, R-Lycoming Township, Lycoming County, had a weak fundraising cycle but was still able to out-raise Democratic challenger Phil Scollo.
Marino pulled in $99,977 while Scollo, from Dingman Township, Pike County, reported donations totaling $60,543.
But Scollo’s campaign spun the report positively, issuing a release pointing out that Scollo “raised over $10,000 more from individuals than … Marino did.” In the most recent quarter, Scollo’s campaign raised $57,245.00 from individuals, with half of those contributions coming in checks under $100.
Overall, 95 percent of Scollo’s fundraising came from individuals. Over the same three-month period, Marino raised $46,677 from individuals, which was 47 percent of his total, Scollo pointed out. More than half of Marino’s contributions came from PACs and political committees.