Three Republicans are seeking the party's nomination to face Democratic U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright in the race for the 17th Congressional District.
Schuylkill County Coroner Dr. David J. Moylan, South Manheim Township, will join Bethlehem Township sports car racing team owner Matt Connolly and Wind Gap airplane pilot Matthew Dietz on the Republican ballot in the May 20 primary election. The winner of that race will then face Cartwright in the Nov. 4 General Election.
"The purpose of the primary is to determine who will be the most electable Republican to challenge Matthew Cartwright," Moylan said Wednesday. "I feel I have an advantage in the electability area in that I was able to win a hard-fought county-wide race for coroner, which happens to be in Schuylkill County, the only full county represented in the district."
Scranton attorney Cartwright, Moosic, is unopposed in the primary as he seeks a second two-year term.
The deadline to file nomination petitions was Tuesday. The 17th Congressional District includes all of Schuylkill County and parts of Lackawanna, Luzerne, Carbon, Monroe and Northampton counties. Connolly and Dietz are from Northampton County.
"I think we all have similar beliefs," Moylan said. "The most important issue to me is the sanctity of human life. Our current congressman has a zero percent pro-life voting record as reported by the National Right to Life Committee. This contrasts to a career pro-life voting record of 78 percent for Tim Holden. That's what got my attention to run for office."
Holden, Saint Clair, served 10 two-year terms as congressman and was defeated in the Democratic primary by Cartwright in April 2012.
"Pro-life is not just being against abortion, but about quality of life and meaningful work," Moylan said.
Moylan also said the health care system needs to be reworked and include input from medical professionals. He also said he will work to preserve the second amendment. Job creation and energy are other important issues Moylan wants to address.
"Matt Cartwright has several nay votes when it comes to coal," Moylan said. "We are a district that is rich in energy and because of regulations, we can not use it."
Moylan first ran for county coroner unsuccessfully in 1999 as an independent. He then ran on the Republican ticket and was elected to serve as Schuylkill County coroner in 2012. Moylan is also the director of the Simon Kramer Institute of Therapeutic Oncology, New Philadelphia.
Cartwright could not be reached for comment Thursday.