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Local lawmakers cruise to victory; only two face opponents in November

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Marino cruises; will face Friedenberg in November

<p>DALLAS &#8212; For Dan Meuser, the second time&#8217;s a charm.</p><p>Meuser, 54, of Wyoming, won the Republican nomination in the 9th Congressional District and will now head to November hoping to keep the seat in the GOP camp.</p><p>According to unofficial results with 94 percent of the district reporting, Meuser received 25,224 votes to 11,649 for George Halcovage, Schuylkill County, and 11,372 for Scott Uehlinger, Berks County.</p><p>&#8220;We did it,&#8221; Meuser cheered inside Leggio&#8217;s Italian Restaurant in Dallas as he announced his victory. &#8220;So many of you here have done so much.&#8221;</p><p>Meuser, a former state revenue secretary in the Corbett Administration, will now face Democrat Denny Wolff, former state agriculture secretary. Wolff, of Columbia County, received 10,510 votes to 8,111 for Gary Wegman, of Berks County, and 7,288 for Laura Quick, of Lebanon County.</p><p>In 2008, Meuser failed in his quest for the Republican nomination in what was then the 10th Congressional District when he was defeated by businessman Chris Hackett. Hackett went on to lose the general election to Chris Carney.</p><p>Meuser said he was humbled and grateful to be given the opportunity to carry his party&#8217;s banner into November.</p><p>&#8221;We now have to work hard to gain the support of those who weren&#8217;t with us in the primary,&#8221; Meuser said. &#8220;We need someone in Congress who will be on the side of President Trump&#8217;s agenda &#8212; and I will be because I believe it&#8217;s a winning plan.&#8221;</p><p>He believes following Trump&#8217;s &#8220;Make America Great Again&#8221; mantra will help the 9th District will flourish.</p><p>&#8220;(We&#8217;ll) make the 9th as great as it ever was,&#8221; he said.</p><p>Meuser said, if elected, he will be accessible and solve problems for the people and the country.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a big job and you need to be dedicated,&#8221; Meuser said. &#8220;I will work hard and we will get the job done.&#8221;</p><p>Meuser said the best way to defend the country is to ensure its prosperity &#8212; to improve the economy, improve trade deals and work toward energy independence and dominance.</p><p>He said the U.S. must stop funding nations that wish to do us harm and/or have supported agendas that are counter to our national security interests.</p><p>Meuser said Congress can help hardworking taxpayers here and in other states, who are being crushed by rising property taxes and are in danger of losing their homes. He also favors securing our southern border by building a wall and using all available technologies to ensure national security. And Meuser favors investing in a strong military.</p><p>The 9th District is comprised of most of what was the 11th Congressional District, currently represented by U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Hazleton, who decided to not seek a fifth term in the House. Instead, Barletta won the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate and will face incumbent Sen. Bob Casey, D-Scranton, in November.</p><p>Wolff campaigned as a fifth-generation dairy farmer and small business owner. He said he knows hard work, what it&#8217;s like to meet a payroll, and how to negotiate good public policy.</p><p>Wolff offered six issues he feels strongly about &#8212; rebuilding the middle class, education, rebuilding infrastructure, ensuring quality, affordable health care, taking care of veterans and seniors, and supporting agriculture.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Dan Meuser addresses a crowd at Leggio&#8217;s in Dallas after winning the Republican nomination for the 9th Congressional District. He will face Denny Wolff, a former state agriculture secretary, in November&#8217;s general election. Meuser is a former state revenue secretary. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/web1_MeuserCMYK-3.jpg</photo0><caption0>Dan Meuser addresses a crowd at Leggio&#8217;s in Dallas after winning the Republican nomination for the 9th Congressional District. He will face Denny Wolff, a former state agriculture secretary, in November&#8217;s general election. Meuser is a former state revenue secretary. </caption0><photoCredit0>Brigid Edmunds | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Bill O&#8217;Boyle</p><p>and Brigid Edmunds</p><p>boboyle@www.timesleader.com </p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta><p><strong>9th Congressional District</strong></p><p>Part of Luzerne County; all of Carbon, Schuylkill, Columbia, Lebanon and Montour counties; part of Berks and Northumberland counties.</p></factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Bill O&#8217;Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

It’s Meuser versus Wolff in 9th Congressional District race