U.S. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise rallied support Wednesday for congressional candidate Rob Bresnahan, saying voters are fed up with Democratic Rep. Matt Cartwright.
“You represent the people that elected you. When you stop doing that, it's time to replace that person with somebody who will represent your values,” Scalise said inside Don’s Machine Shop in West Pittston. “And now you've got one in Rob Bresnahan.”
With the 8th Congressional District contest one of the most competitive in the country, Scalise visited Luzerne County for the second this campaign. He campaigned for Bresnahan on April 8 in Kingston.
Scalise and House Speaker Mike Johnson have trekked to Pennsylvania multiple times in hopes of flipping Cartwright’s seat and that of Rep. Susan Wild to Republican. Johnson campaigned Monday in Bethlehem for Wild’s opponent, state Rep. Ryan Mackenzie. The speaker raised money for Bresnahan on May 20 in Dallas Township.
“We got problems that are created by bad politicians in Washington, (Democratic presidential nominee) Kamala Harris, Cartwright, (U.S. Sen. Bob) Casey,” Scalise said. “The whole lot of them have been doing things that have raised your food prices, raised your gas prices, brought in murderers and violent criminals into our country to do us harm.”
Bresnahan said his race turned into the most expensive in the country because Democrats had to make up stories for ads to criticize him.
“He will be a rubber stamp,” Bresnahan said. “Do not believe anything else, because he's been a rubber stamp for Joe Biden. He's going to be a rubber stamp for Kamala Harris. There’s not a question in my mind.”
In a statement issued by his campaign, Cartwright focused on Scalise.
“Steve Scalise is leading the charge to raise the retirement age to 70 and cut $2.7 trillion from Social Security and Medicare,” Cartwright said. “Scalise is here today because Rob answers to him — and stands ready to sell out seniors to fund tax giveaways for ultra-wealthy people like himself.”
Bresnahan denies he will cut Social Security and Medicare.
Scalise brought along a group of other Republican congressman. They included Dan Meuser, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, of Florida, Rep. Jason Smith, of Missouri, Rep. Dale Strong, of Alabama, Rep. Brad Finstad, of Minnesota, Rep. Mike Collins, of Georgia. Former Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, now a congressional candidate, was also there.