Primary Challenger in PA-12

By Dave Anderson:

Rep. John Murtha (D-PA-12) needs a primary challenger.  He needs one because the stink of corruption lingers on him like the stench of an unwashed jock-strap.  His associates and former staffers are being indicted or turning state's evidence in multiple corruption probes.  There are strong allegations of massive corruption. 

The Democrats as a party need to support a primary challenger to John Murtha, even if that challenger then loses in the primary election.  A strong and public challenge to the allegedly corrupt bastard sends a credible signal that the Democrats as an entity will not tolerate corruption. 

The Democratic Party won't do this, as they did jack-shit to former Rep. and current felon William Jefferson of Louisiana despite the FBI finding $90,000 bucks in his freezer.  The Democrats lost a D+25 seat because the party as an institution is an incumbent protection racket first and foremost.  They could not provide basic support to a primary challenger to cover their own ass and hold a gimme seat. 

Thankfully there is a good primary challenger already running against Rep. Murtha.  Ryan Bucchianeri is running as a Democrat, and he is running on fairly generic good government/good service provision Democrat. 

I had the opportunity to talk with Ryan at Netroots Nation (he needed directions to one of the outlying session rooms at 7:30 in the morning), and he impressed me.  He has an excellent command of the district, having grown up in the Ringgold School District in the Mon-Valley, and an interesting life story that is complemented by the fact that he is smart as hell.  I don't know if he'll be able to beat Murtha, my bet is short of an indictment, Murtha wins rather convincingly but I definately appreciate the fact that Ryan is sticking his head out to inflict some alleged douche-baggery costs on Rep. Murtha.

Check him out at his website, http://www.ryan2010.org.