The Club for Growth has chosen its man in Pennsylvania’s tenth district, currently occupied by Rep. Chris Carney (D). This is one of the most likely seats to flip back to Republican this year. It was only lost because of former Rep. Don Sherwood’s (R) alleged mistress-choking incident (which inspired the piece of advice I offer to every candidate for office: “Don’t choke your mistress”). The district is very conservative — 60 percent for Bush in 2004.

I have to say, I like Chris Hackett (R) already after reading coverage of this speech, in which he takes on the earmark issue without fear:

The $18 million that Carney secured for the district “sounds like a lot of money” but only works out to $28 per person in the 10th District, Hackett said.
“But the amount of money really isn’t the important thing,” said Hackett, who is seeking the Republican nomination to run against Carney in the November 2008 election. “The important thing is what did Chris Carney have to do, what bills did he have to vote for, and what other pork barrel spending did he have to support to get that $18 million.”
To get the $18 million, Carney voted to allow unions to organize employees without a secret ballot, he voted to attempt to gut the Mexico City Policy — which precludes foreign aid from being used for abortions — and he “voted for the largest tax increase in the history of the United States,” Hackett told approximately 25 people who came to hear him speak at the Towanda Elks Club on Thursday.