SUNBURY — Scott Brion of Tioga County ran against US Congressman Tom Marino (R-10th, Williamsport) in 2014…and now says he wants to replace Marino if Marino takes a job in the Trump Administration. Brion was a guest on WKOK Sunrise Tuesday.
He explained why he believes Marino is not the right fit for the 10th Congressional District, “Rural Pennsylvania just doesn’t seem to have a voice that is being heard. Just a real quick example would be Mr. Marino yesterday in his morning newsletter talked about the success of Williamsport receiving a grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission. But, he has never once acknowledged that in the Trump budget blueprint, the Appalachian Regional Commission is entirely defunded. So, just the hypocrisy of that is the real problem and the issue that in rural Pennsylvania we face.”
Brion said he is the right person to represent the district because he understands the rural area, “I think that we need a voice that says, this is how it effects rural Pennsylvania. For instance, telecommunication issues, you know the access to broadband and access to cell service. It’s a different issue in rural Pennsylvania. In places where I live, in Liberty, we don’t have any choice. So it’s particularly important that if you have an issue like that, it may not be spoken about nationally.”
He explained what will happen if Marino takes the job of Drug Czar for the Trump Administration, “If Mr. Marino does in fact resign to take another position, the Governor will have to set a special election and that process will be one where each of the political parties will pick a nominee. So there will be no primary process and that will happen pretty quickly. Once the governor sets that special election, it’s a 60 day process. So I think for a candidate in a campaign, that means this is all going to happen very quickly and most likely will be a very high profile race.”
Brion was the 2014 Democratic candidate who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary for the 10th District congressional seat. He lost in the general election to Marino. There are a large number of potential candidates for the seat if Marino steps down.
On the Republican side, State Representative Fred Keller of Snyder County, Bradford County Commissioner Doug McLinko, Lycoming County Commissioner Tony Mussare, State Senator Mario Scavello of Lycoming County and State Representative Jeff Wheeland of Lycoming County are all interested in the position.
The other Democratic candidates, aside from Brion, are former 10th District congressman Chris Carney and former Bradford County Commissioner Mark Smith, who now works as Governor Wolf’s Director of Government Affairs and Outreach. Also, independent candidate Nick Troiano, who took 12 percent of the vote in the general election against Marino in 2014, is a possible candidate. You can hear more from Brion from WKOK Sunrise online at WKOK.com. (Ali Stevens)
