The LuLac Edition #75, Oct. 29, 2006

PICTURE INDEX: 121rst District Republican candidate Christine Katsock, GOP candidate for Governor Lynn Swann pictured with Mrs. Doubtfire and current Governor Ed Rendell.

COUNTDOWN

10 DAYS LEFT

TO ELECTION DAY!




BREAKING NEWS!!!!!!!!!

John C. Cordara, candidate for State Representative in the 120th District now has a campaign website. With days left in the campaign, this is a significant development in the Cordara campaign. Here is the link to his website http://johncordora.com/index.html.
We tried to transfer a picture of Mr. Cordara from his website and a few blogs but were unsuccessful. He does exist, he's had a fundraiser and he will be advertising on the radio.
Cordara opposes State Representative Phyllis Mundy, a 16 year veteran who was endorsed by the Times Leader this week.

SPEAKING OF ENDORSEMENTS

Christine Katsock, candidate in the 121rst district to succeed Kevin Blaum garnered an impressive endorsement Saturday from the Times Leader. Here's what the paper had to say about Christine Katsock's style, her take on the issues and her campaign.

Our endorsement for 121st District State Representative
Christine Katsock
Detailed approach, tenacity win out

CHRISTINE KATSOCK HAS campaigned to serve on the school board, the city council and as mayor of Wilkes-Barre. Two years ago she ran for the office held by state Rep. Kevin Blaum. She lost but she didn’t give up. Now she is a candidate for the seat vacated by the retiring Blaum in the 121st House District. The people of the district could benefit from her tenacity.
Katsock is an advocate for the taxpayer. She strongly supports reducing state government, even if it results in losing the seat she’s been trying to fill. She is in favor of reducing “perks” for state legislators, and the staff for each legislative office.
Katsock also wants to eliminate property taxes by shifting to a sales tax. She supports a cap on medical malpractice awards such as pain-and-suffering claims.
A Republican, Katsock owns an online jewelry business and has worked as a music teacher and a church musician. We believe she has an appreciation for the concerns of hard-working taxpayers. She will have to work to get her ideas turned into reality in Harrisburg, but at least she is campaigning with some specifics of what she would do if elected.
Katsock’s opponent: Eddie Day Pashinski
A DEMOCRAT AND former Greater Nanticoke Area School District music teacher, Pashinksi speaks with emotion but very few specifics. Voters deserve some ideas before he gets their votes. Even Pashinski’s suggestions can be hazy. He wants an independent commission to study the health care systems for one year and then make suggestions. He’s concerned about absentee landlords who don’t care for their property, even though we already have laws and codes concerning the condition of property. He also wants to form a drug task force. Don’t we already have those?
Experience
Katsock has never held political office but she has campaigned to be on the Wilkes-Barre Area School Board, as well as Wilkes-Barre City Council and Mayor. Pashinski has been active with the Democratic Party.
Toss up
Ideas
Pashinski is vague; Katsock is much more detailed and creative.
Katsock
Eloquence
Pashinski is an orator, demonstrative and ardent. Katsock is more moderate.
PashinskiThe Edge: Katsock
No Contest: An excellent choice
Strong: A good choice
Close Call: Two good choices
Weak: Two disappointing choices.

MONEY MATTERS

In the race for Governor, here are the spending reports thus far for the candidates.
First, here's Governor Ed Rendell's report:

Election Cycle: 2006
Unknown
$6,633,003
Lawyers & Lobbyists
$2,008,413
Finance, Insurance & Real Estate
$1,708,778
Labor
$805,400
Party
$756,060
Communications & Electronics
$434,750
Health
$333,101
Construction
$331,000
Non-Contributions
$267,065
General Business
$251,885
Other/Retiree/Civil Servants
$237,031
Energy & Natural Resources
$224,982
Agriculture
$161,750
Transportation
$29,000
Ideology/Single Issue
$26,500
Small Contributions
$13,172
Total for 2006: $14,221,890

Here are totals for Lynn Swann:
ELECTION CYCLE 2006
Top Contributors
SWANNS TEAM 88, LYNN
$782,911
REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS ASSOC/RGA
$250,000
BLACK III, SAMUEL
$200,000
MATTHEWS, FRIENDS OF JIM
$70,000
MYERS, A ROSS
$50,000
MYERS, A ROSS
$50,000
PENNSYLVANIA REPUBLICAN PARTY
$50,000
PENNSYLVANIA ASSOCIATED BUILDERS & CONTRACTORS/ABC
$25,000
MIDDLETON, JOHN S
$25,000
PENNSYLVANIA FUTURE FUND
$25,000
ALLEN, HERBERT
$20,000
INDEPENDENT OIL & GAS ASSOC
$17,500
WALKER, C ALAN
$15,467
USHER, THOMAS J
$10,000
MONTGOMERY COUNTY REPUBLICAN CMTE
$10,000
DONAHUE, J CHRISTOPHER & ANN C
$10,000
SCOLA, PIETRO
$10,000
QUEENAN, CHARLES & JOANN
$10,000
OLSON, CHRISTINE J
$6,717
LEWIS, RONALD
$6,280

Top Industries
Total $
Candidate Self-finance
$765,099
Party Committees
$329,041
Insurance
$203,000
General Contractors
$125,500
Candidate Committees
$96,743
Lawyers & Lobbyists
$77,975
Securities & Investment
$52,750
Oil & Gas
$30,717
Health Professionals
$28,825
Lodging & Tourism
$25,000
Conservative Policy Organization
$25,000
Real Estate
$23,800
Mining
$17,767
Automotive
$13,580
Miscellaneous Finance
$12,300


SWANN, LYNN (COMMITTEE 1)
REPUBLICAN
GOVERNOR
Pending
$4,249,334
SWANN, LYNN (COMMITTEE 2)
REPUBLICAN
GOVERNOR
Pending
$1,790,604
Total for 2006: $6,039, 938.

MEDIA MATTERS

Been listening to a lot of talk radio in the final days of this campaign and I am struck by a few things.
1. The commentators are running against people who are not yet promoted. I hear that Dennis Kucinich is going to be head of this committee, Nancy Pelosi is going to be speaker, John Dingell is going to be chair of this committee and on and on. Your average voter does not know or care who these people are, now political junkies like me and my buddy Gort 42 know but not your average voter. I doubt someone is going to vote for or against any of their local candidates because someone they don't know or care about will be in the majority. But the desperation in the voices are the things that entertain me.
2. The GOP takeover in 1994 came after 40 years of power by the Democratic Party. If the Democrats prevail, they will win back the Congress after only 12 years. Do you think that perhaps the Dems held on the first time for that long because they were less controversial and more bi-partisan in their thinking? Just wondering.

RICK THE WRESTLER

Love the latest Santorum TV ad which interestingly enough tells you how affable the Senator is with hiscollegues in Washington. No matter the outcome of this race, Santorum's ads were the very best of all of the candidates statewide.

GRIFFITH BLOG

Walter Griffith, a Wilkes Barre resident and advocate of good government has started a blog. Mr. Griffith has taken sensible, courageous and intelligent stands before Wilkes Barre City Council. It's a shame they can't understand what he is trying to convey but then if they did, we'd suspect that aliens took over their bodies as nesting places until the next spaceship leaves. Anyway, check out his blog, comment on it if you wish. Here's the link: http://taxpayersforwilkesbarre.blogspot.com/.