Businessman outspent, but wins nod in GOP Congress primary
PHILADELPHIA—A business owner heavily outspent by his Republican opponent won the nomination Tuesday in a northeastern Pennsylvania congressional district the GOP lost to the Democrats two years ago because of a sex scandal.
With 99 percent of precincts reporting, Chris Hackett beat Dan Meuser 52 percent to 48 percent. Hackett will face freshman Rep. Chris Carney, a Democrat, in the fall.
Hackett and Meuser bombarded TV airwaves with ads touting their conservative credentials.
Meuser, 44, is president of a company that sells equipment for the disabled. Hackett, 45, owns several companies, including a staffing agency and insurance brokerage.
Together they spent about $2.6 million of their own money. Meuser himself ponied up $1.8 million, including $295,000 one day before the election.
Until Carney's election, the district had not sent a Democrat to Washington in more than four decades.
But Don Sherwood's four-term House career was ruined after a woman 35 years his junior sued him in 2005, alleging the married father of three choked her at his Capitol Hill apartment. Sherwood admitted having an affair with the woman but denied hurting her; he settled the case for about $500,000.
Of the state's 19 congressional districts, primaries in four, including northeastern Pennsylvania seat, were competitive -- with no incumbents facing a challenge.
In central Pennsylvania, Centre County GOP chairman Glenn Thompson won a nine-way race for the Republican nomination and the chance to succeed Republican Rep. John Peterson, who is retiring at the end of his term.
Peterson had endorsed Thompson, who with 98 percent of precincts reporting had 19 percent of the vote.
"I think a big part of our success tonight was the values that are important to me, and the values actually I share with Congressman John Peterson," Thompson said. "Those are the values of always doing what is right and putting people above politics."
The sprawling rural district is heavily Republican, and Thompson will likely be heavily favored in the general election against Clearfield County Commissioner Mark McCracken, who beat two other candidates to win the Democratic primary.
Outside Pittsburgh, businessman Steve O'Donnell beat two other Democrats to run against Republican Rep. Tim Murphy in November.
In northwest Pennsylvania, Kathy Dahlkemper, the director of the Lake Erie Arboretum, beat three other Democratic candidates to challenge Republican Rep. Phil English in November.
------
On the Net:
Pennsylvania Republican Party: http://www.pagop.org/
Pennsylvania Democratic Party: http://www.padems.com/
