By Francis Scarcella
The Daily Item
LEWISBURG —
Tom Marino has two words for Chris Carney: Debate me.
The Republican challenger on Tuesday stood before the Union County Courthouse and dozens of potential voters, and reiterated his challenge: A series of head-to-heads with the Democratic incumbent in locales throughout the 10th Congressional District.
Other than an Oct. 27 debate — one week before the Nov. 2 election — those requests have gone unanswered.
“Anytime, anywhere, I will debate Mr. Carney,” Marino said Tuesday.
“He can get into all the negative campaigning he wants, but he needs to explain to the people of the 10th District why he voted on several issues, including the health care plan.”
Carney, of Dimock, has said only that he will debate Marino in late October.
“The people of the 10th District deserve more,” Marino said. “This election is about real change, and I would start debating Mr. Carney yesterday.”
Carney only had one debate in 2006, when he was challenging Republican Don Sherwood for the U.S. House seat, Carney spokesman Josh Drobnyk said.
“Tom Marino has made one ethically questionable decision after another over the course of the last several years, including during this campaign,” Drobnyk said.
“Congressman Carney has agreed to debate, and he is looking forward to sharing his message of tax cuts for small businesses and working families and ending tax breaks for companies that ship jobs abroad.”
A single debate, to be televised by WVIA-TV, doesn’t sit well with Marino.
“Whatever the reason, it is shameful that Chris Carney will not agree to a series of debates to benefit the voters,” Marino said. “He would rather issue press releases that attack my character, than face me in a debate.”
Several Union County officials on Tuesday endorsed the Republican from Cogan Station, Lycoming County.< /p>
“I’m here today to show Mr. Marino is the best candidate to be elected,” Union County District Attorney D. Peter Johnson said. “There is a lot to be said about Tom, and I personally vote for the person, not just the party, and I believe in the person, not what they are labeled.”
County Commissioner Preston Boop agreed. “It’s time for a change in Washington,” he said, “and Tom Marino is the man for it.”
“A million dollars worth of negative advertising will not win this election for Carney,” Boop said. “It’s just not going to happen.”
Said Marino of the fellow Republicans’ support: “I can’t express in words what this means. I am honored they have the faith and trust in me.”
About two weeks ago, Carney held a similar press conference in which several officials from Northumberland and Montour counties endorsed him.
After the endorsement announcements, Marino tackled several issues, including transportation and entitlement programs.
He said he knows the frustrations Valley residents feel over the stalled Central Susquehanna Thruway project.
“I can’t promise I can get the money for the project, but I will work very hard to see that we do, and I will make that a top priority in this district,” he said.
Marino said he does not support cuts to Social Security for those receiving or about to receive it. “Social Security is for people that worked for it,” he said, “and paid in to it.”
If elected, Marino told the gathering he will be accessible to all.
“When I’m in Washington, I will learn, I will spend time reaching out to my colleagues no matter what party,” Marino said.
“And when I’m not there, I will be in the district, and I will even go to people’s homes to discuss issues if they want that, because I will make sure I take all the time I need to take to answer and help anyone I can.”
Marino ended his 30-minute talk with a prediction:
His victory in November, despite not having the bank roll of Carney.
As of June 30, Carney had $792,891 cash-in-hand after expenditures, according to the Federal Election Commission’s second-quarter reports, while Marino had $11,137, and, through Aug. 14, he had not heard from the Republican National Committee about funding.
“Even though we don’t have the money my opponent has,” Marino said, “we will win this election.”
-- E-mail comments to fscarcella@dailyitem.com.
