The LuLac Edition #3781, May 14th, 2018

PRIMARY
ELECTION 2018 
PREVIEW

Well it’s now come down to the final showdown here for Primary Election 2018. Here is a recap of the races coming up in tomorrow’s primary election. Most of the action is on the GOP side with a three way race for Governor and various Congressional races.

REPUBLICAN

GOVERNOR

 Ellsworth, Mango and Wagner face D-Day on Tuesday. (Photo: Philly.com) 

One of the first to announce, Scott Wagner has spent a ton of money and has been very active in cultivating the support of die hard Republicans across the state. Most notably, Wagner has rock solid support in Luzerne County. Look for that to be his strength.
Paul Mango has been here to LuLac land too and has a decent amount of support across the state. But the brawling style of their race has left a bad taste in many voter’s mouths regarding the General Election viability of either Mango or the aforementioned Wagner.
Laura Ellsworth, underfunded but very energetic is the sleeper in the three way contest. Look for her to come very close to an upset. However, when all is said and done, in my mind Wagner will prevail. But not by much. My reasoning is that Wagner has the die hard support of Republican activists who are super voters in the primary. The only thing that might upset the Wagner apple cart is if Ellsworth carries the more heavily populated areas of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia where educated female voters just might turn to her instead of the two men duking it out as if it were a WWF contest.

LT. GOVERNOR

 Front runners for Lt. Governor on the Republican side, Jeff Bartos and Diana Irey Vaughn.

 Jeff Bartos was running for Senate but then either persuaded himself or was asked by party leaders to take on the Lt. Governor’s banner. Wagner picked him as a running mate while Paul Mango went with Diana Irey Vaughan. Others include Kathleen Coder, Joseph Gale and Peg Luksik Look for Bartos to get to the finish line because of money, name recognition as well as the advantage from being Wagner’s running mate. Those three political elements are lacking in his other opponents.

U.S. SENATE

Congressman Lou Barletta and State Representative Jim Christiana who has virtually run no campaign are in this contest. .Barletta big. At least for this Election Day in 2018.

CONGRESS

8th 

Three Republican 8th District candidates are chomping at the bit to go against three term incumbent Matt Cartwright.  The three candidates who have been beating the bushes for at least a year have high hopes.  

John Chrin from the Lehigh Valley is trying to do what Matt Connolly couldn’t do in 2016. Make up that 10,000 vote deficit in a General Election to make this a red seat. That’s a tall order in what appears to be a Democratic year. Chrin is an engaging fellow and has practically camped out here in LuLac land. In conversations with me, he says it is his time.

Meanwhile Scranton native Joe Peters has been pretty much everywhere popping up at free and paid events using the old shoe leather he employed when he was a Policeman. Bob Kuniegel has been running ads and has made his name known, if not his positions. But the race will be between Chrin and Peters. Chrin has made the case that he  be a "can do" Representative of this region and use his economic know how to get things moving. Peters has touted his experience in law enforcement. The key to remember here is that The Lu and The Lac have always had at least one representative in Congress that was home grown. That gives Peters an edge but the pathetic Republican Party in The Lac will be the wild card. Will they help or hurt him?
The Cartwright campaign has been worried about Chrin for at least a year and a half now because of his wealth and the fact that he can present himself well against the three term incumbent. But if Peters wins, he might present more of a challenge to Cartwright because there isn’t anyone I know who doesn’t like Joe. All of that makes Peters the wild card in how stiff a challenge the three term Cartwright might have in November.

9th

Dan Meuser (center) faces off against two candidates, Scott Uehinger (right) and George Halcovage (left). 

Halcovage, is a Schuylkill County commissioner and a Pottsville native. He's focused on reforming taxes, immigration, and healthcare. With the expansive district, a block vote coming out of Halcovage’s home area might make this a horse race. Meuser seems to think he is a treat because he has run campaign ads against him saying Halcovage has raised taxes. Well, County officials sometimes have to raise taxes to provide services. Once you give huge tax cuts on the top levels nationally, the money for local services get cut and need to be made up by taxpayers. But I digress. The third GOP candidate is Scott Uehlinger, of the Kutztown area. He touts himself as a man of action. He is the only veteran in the race and is a native of Berks County. The district is far flung and Meuser needs to fight a war on two fronts. Meuser would seem to be the logical candidate to succeed Lou Barletta but in a three way race, anything is possible.

12th

In the new 12th it’s incumbent Tom Marino up against Doug McLinko, 

A Bradford County commissioner, McLinko says he’s proud to be rated as the most conservative candidate in this race. It is time to drain the swamp he proclaims about Marino. He has questioned Marino’s record and has told voters he will be a grassroots Congressman who will represent them. He has called out Marino as a “snowflake” for the Congressman’s decision to sue a senior citizen, a former supporter mind you. Plus his use of saying “drain the swamp” seems to include Marino who was a big backer of the swamp master, Donald Trump.
McLInko is over matched though and the 12th District GOP will get what it deserves with Marino.

DEMOCRATIC

GOVERNOR

Tom Wolf is running unopposed and has been a decent Governor given the issues he has had with a GOP controlled House and Senate. His 2014 argument of “Friendly Persuasion” pretty much blew up when he got down to business with the State right wingers. Whether he becomes the second one term Tom depends on the strength of his opponent in the fall. I believe he’ll win again but the size of his vote will depend on who he faces.

LT. GOVERNOR

Three people highly regarded for Dem Lt. Governor spot. Incumbent Stack, Nina Ahmad and John Fetterman (Philly.com)

Remember when people wanted to abolish the Lt Governor’s office? Hah, there seems to be one heck of a race going on here. Mike Stack, the incumbent who has had issues of temperament with his staff is opposed by John Fetterman, Mayor Of Braddock, Nina Ahmad a molecular biologist, Kathi Cozzone, a Chester County commissioner and businessman Ray Sosa the first Hispanic to run for Statewide office. Stack seems to have the grudging support of most Democrats despite his issues. Fetterman is making the rounds again for another race after his effort in 2016 for the U.S. Senate. Stack will prevail but not by a landslide, look for a close race between he and Fetterman with Ahmad making a strong showing out of the suburbs of the cities. Ahmad is a scientist, women’s rights advocate, and first-generation Bangladeshi American.  She is running for the Lieutenant Governor to restore integrity to the office and to be the progressive voice that Pennsylvania needs to take on Donald Trump. If only she had Stack’s name recognition and money, my heavens she would eviscerate Wagner and Mango from the second spot on the ticket with Wolf! But that's a long shot. 
If Stack wins, it will be interesting to see if the Republican winner makes him a campaign issue and how Governor Wolf, who has kept him at arm’s length, reacts.

U.S. SENATE

Bob Casey, unopposed.

CONGRESS

8th

Matt Cartwright, three term Congressman who has been a prominent member of the Democratic Congress as well as a well thought of lawmaker is unopposed.

9th

The three Democrats going up against the GOP nominee are fighting it out because in this new district, they think they might have a puncher’s chance. 

 Laura Quick, Gary Wegman and Denny Wolf. (Photo: Philly.com)

Former Agriculture Secretary Denny Wolfe looks to be the front runner with Laura Quick and Gary Wegman in the running. Quick is a single mom who is a UPS driver. She is also the only candidate endorsed by Organized Labor.
Dr. Gary Wegman, is a Berks County native, and graduate of Exeter High School, Lafayette College and the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. He has managed a full time dental practice for 32 years in the Reading area.
In a District that is rural in many places, Wolfe will have the edge. Plus, he is a long time Democrat who can articulate their policies. Meeting him, no one would ever mistake him for being a Nancy Pelosi lackey either.

12th

12th Congressional District Tom Marino’s seat is up for grabs and Marc Friedenberg and Judy Hershel are after the chance to make this a race. Friedenberg says Marino has been in office too long. 

Friedenberg is not a career politician. He’s a husband and father, a well-informed and hard-working citizen-activist who says he will offer a fresh perspective and energy in Washington.

 Judy Herschel is s a certified drug & alcohol counselor, who has seen the opioid crisis in her community and she will tell you it is personal. From Susquehanna Depot, she says her town and much of the 12th District has been devastated by the opioid epidemic.  If she gets the Democratic nod, her ads should include the 60 Minutes references reigned down upon Marino regarding his role in pharmaceuticals. Congress helped disarm the Drug Enforcement Administration during the height of the Opioid crisis. Marino, was the chief advocate for the 2016 bill at the center of the investigation of whistle blowers . The bill weakened the DEA's control over opioid drug distributors.

FROM THE CITIZENS' VOICE: THEIR PRE-ELECTION REPORT 

http://citizensvoice.com/news/tuesday-s-election-first-with-new-map-1.2336601