Bill O’Neill (D) wasted no time in criticizing Rep. Steven LaTourette (R) since announcing his candidacy last week.

O’Neill surrendered his judgeship on the state’s Appeals Court to take on LaTourette, who easily won a seventh term in the 14th district last year.

By Monday, O’Neill was chastising LaTourette for not rebuking President Bush over his decision to prevent former vice presidential aide Scooter Libby from serving his prison sentence.

National Democrats have sought a top-tier challenger for LaTourette the past two cycles and consider O’Neill’s candidacy a recruiting coup.
— Nicole Duran