Ryan Bucchianeri

John P. Murtha is going to get something next year that he rarely receives: a challenge in the Democratic primary.

The veteran Pennsylvania Democrat, well-known for his opposition to the Bush Administration’s decision to wage war in Iraq and for steering federal dollars to his mostly blue-collar district in southwestern Pennsylvania, will be opposed next spring by Ryan Bucchianeri, a Harvard-educated former naval officer who’s embarking on his first campaign for office.  

Bucchianeri was unavailable for an interview Thursday, citing a full schedule. But he did e-mail CQ Politics a biography and a news release that said he “intends to put his life experiences and education as a U.S. naval officer, businessman, and veteran to good use for Pennsylvanians and in Congress.” A son of educator parents, Bucchianeri identified education as one of many policy issues of interest.