Democratic Rep. Matt Cartwright of Pennsylvania, who voted for both articles of impeachment against President Trump, represents a district that now is a toss-up, according to the Cook Political Report.
Cartwright, a four-term lawmaker, is in a district Trump carried in 2016, 53% to 44%.
He won his 2018 reelection by a roughly 10-point margin, with 55% of the vote, easily beating out a wealthy, self-funded GOP challenger. But the Republican primary in his northeastern Pennsylvania district now includes a local wounded military veteran.
Earl Granville served in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard and lost his leg while on tour in Afghanistan.
“I look at this impeachment as a waste of time and a waste of tax dollars,” he said. “For the past few years, this has been the approach of the other side — trying to take the current commander in chief out of office, and it seems like all it’s doing is costing us money,” Granville told Fox News.
Cartwright attempted to distance himself from impeachment in a USA Today op-ed, claiming he was a “voice of restraint” on impeachment and had been “working with President Donald Trump when our interests have aligned, and we have passed several bills into law together.”
Nevertheless, Granville criticized Cartwright’s impeachment votes, saying, “I think a lot of people in this area are going to be upset over that,” adding that he is originally from the district, unlike the congressman, who has not experienced the changes the region has gone through over the years.
Granville will face off against two other Republicans in the GOP primary for the 8th District: Luzerne County Councilman Harry Haas, who announced back in October, and combat veteran and retired police officer Teddy Daniels.
