Urban Switching From Republican To Democrat

Luzerne County Commissioner Steve Urban announced he is switching his political registration from Republican to Democrat. In this Times Leader article by Jennifer Learn-Andes he cites lack of support for his latest candidacy within the Republican party and lack of unity among the Republicans for his main reasons to jump ship.

Let's tackle his claim- the lack of support for his candidacy. Anyone who paid attention this election knows that the independent voter determined this election, hands down, not Republicans. According to Luzerne County statistics there are 188,091 registered voters- 110,165 Democrats, 61,287 Republicans, and 15,933 Independents.

In this last election 15,775 Luzerne County Democrats and 15,457 Luzerne County Republicans cast a straight ballot. In case Urban wasn't paying attention that means he received overwhelming Republican support since his vote total was 18,863. House Representative John Yudichak, now Senator Yudichak, received 30,171 total votes.

In this report filed by Terri Morgan-Besecker the day after the election she made these observations. Urban performed much better in Monroe County, defeating Yudichak with 2,131 votes compared to Yudichak’s 1,697 votes. Urban also performed well in Carbon County, garnering 4,553 votes to Yudichak’s 5,122 votes

Obviously Urban's math doesn't pass the litmus test. Switching parties will almost certainly mean defeat for any future office he seeks. Tom Stish, Parker Griffith, and Arlen Specter. The homework lesson Urban failed to perform is evident in his presentation to the public.

I'll paraphrase Dale Carnegie. Politicians just do not want to admit to any wrong doing, and put the blame on everyone else instead of really looking at the situation. There you are; human nature in action, wrongdoers, blaming everybody but themselves.

GOP County Chairman Terry Casey aired a little dirty laundry in the article by stating the possibility that a few party leaders may have “overstepped their boundaries” by supporting Yudichak. Engineering an effective campaign effort gets the desired results not boundaries set by party bosses. Polling would have told Urban his weaknesses. That is how a politician tailors his messages during the campaign. But I guess Urban didn't ask anyone for advice. It wouldn't have mattered anyway.

Look at Yudichak's record as a representative and look at Urban's as a commissioner. Hands dow the voters pick the right person for the job. The days of straight party voting are long gone. And for now it appears so is Urban.

Yudichak Over Leighton

In the 14th Senatorial District SOP is predicting that State Representative John Yudichak will win handily over challenger Mayor Tom Leighton. Leighton should (Bill) brace for the loss.

Voter turnout is extremely light. In West Hazleton only 200 voters have made it to the polls so far.

Todd Eachus Robo Calls For Tom Leighton

Todd Eachus just left a robo call on the answering machine asking for voters to vote for Tom Leighton. He said he needs a working partner. If John Yudichak wins the nomination today Eachus will need a lot of working partners in Harrisburg. As House Majority Leader how is he going to square up with his caucus that he abandoned a fellow elected representative in favor of a Mayor from Wilkes Barre?

One would think that a Tuesday robo call is in desperation. Anyone in politics knows that voters have their minds made up by now.

Of course Eachus's camp are not the brightest bunch in politics. His assistant circulated and signed petitions for Tom Leighton although he doesn't live in the 14th Senatorial District. The petitions were voided. Shouldn't the House Majority Leader and his staff know the rules about petition circulation?

At a recent rally in Hazle Township attended by Eachus, Paul Kanjorski, and Tom Leighton Eachus made the claim that he cleaned up Harrisburg after the Bonusgate charges came down. Evidently making Bonusgate defendent Bill DeWeese his Whip is the way he sees cleaning things up.

Eachus also paid off Bonusgate convicted Mike Veon's $40,000 campaign debt in 2007.

Isn't there something sardonic in the term "House Cleaning"? Guess it isn't the white glove inspection that matters.

Leighton Worker Campaigns In Front of Lou Barletta Headquarters

There is no secret in the political world that Tom Leighton and John Yudichak have been battling hard for the senate seat after Senator Ray Musto announced his retirement in the 14th district. Leighton has been campaigning side by side with Todd Eachus even to the point that they parked by Mayor Lou Barletta's house in the Terrace section of Hazleton as a sort of "poke in the eye" strategy.

As John Yudichak has reiterated throughout the campaign and quoted in this Standard Speaker article "The mayorLeighton) at the end here was making some wild allegations and trying to intimidate me and bully me as he has done with citizens here in the city of Wilkes-Barre who criticize him," Yudichak said.

Here is a picture of a campaign worker holding a Leighton sign in front of Barletta's campaign headquarters in downtown Hazleton. Todd Eachus's office is directly across the street. It appears Leighton wants to misinform the public that Barletta supports him by having this person campaign on the side of the street where Barletta's office is located, not Eachus's office. Typical Leighton and Eachus bully tactic.