Cartwright Will Defend the Weak & Vulnerable

Matt Cartwright's son, Jack

For the first time this year, I saw women in skimpy shorts, parading up and down Easton's Ferry Street. A few people were seated at outdoor tables outside Sette Luna, a popular Italian eatery. And in another sign of Spring, a second Congressional campaign office has blossomed in this river town.

On Friday, it was incumbent Tim Holden, who made himself pretty popular with fellow Dems by bringing a tub full of Yuenglings. The party establishment was there in force. A ten-term incumbency will do that. Party boss Walt Garvin was soaking up the suds, while Controller Steve Barron hammered away at the food tray. Charles "Don't call me Charlie" Dertinger was in a good mood and shook my hand.

Lots of suits.

It was a different story last night. Perhaps it was the lack of suds, but most of the suits were missing when Scranton lawyer and Congressional candidate Matt Cartwright opened his Easton offices at 355 Ferry Street. No party boss. No Controller. No Mayor Panto.

But there was still a crowd. It was smaller, but not by much. Easton City Council member Ken Brown and Norco Council member Bob Werner, who also attended Holden's office opening, dropped by to meet Cartwright.

So did members of Easton's hard-working and very active Easton Democratic Committee. This group had very much to do with last Fall's large margins of victory for Easton Mayor Sal Panto and School Board candidate Frank Pintabone. But I doubt they will get involved in primary squabble between two Democrats.

When Cartwright kicked off his campaign in January, he claimed he was from the "Democratic wing of the Democratic Party," in an obvious slap at Tim Holden's moderate stance on most issues.

So why is he running?

Cartwright gets lowdown on Forks Tp

In his own words, it's to help "the people who are on social security, the people who depend on Medicare for their medical bills, the people who are in nursing homes that depend on Medicaid. We are here because we stand up for the weakest and most vulnerable people in the United States, and there's nobody else who's gonna' do it if we don't. .... That's what I'm in this for, to stick up for the people who need us."

Cartwright's campaign manager, Shane Seaver, tells me he's working with the League of Women Voters to set up a debate between Holden and Cartwright. The bad news is that, if incumbent Tim Holden can be persuaded to debate at all, it will likely be in Lackawanna County.

Amazingly, the League of Women Voters has cancelled a debate that was scheduled tonight between 15th Pa. District Democratic contenders Jackson Eaton and Rick Daugherty. Reason? Lack of interest.

You'll have that when you cancel debates.