Republicans look to challenge ‘Scranton Joe’ Biden on poor economic record in 2022 midterms

Biden’s hometown faces worker shortage, raging inflation as Republican candidates litter Senate, gov. races

One year into his presidency, Joe Biden's hometown struggles to alleviate rising consumer prices and an ongoing labor shortage.

FOX Business’ Connell McShane visited Scranton, Pennsylvania, where Republicans are looking to take advantage of the president’s poor economic record.

Former Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Pa., is one of more than a dozen GOP candidates running for governor in the 2022 midterms, with the Senate race just as crowded.

"I think people are seeing the direction that Pennsylvania is going between Joe Biden and Washington," Barletta told McShane. "Many feel this is the right time to get in, to change the direction of Pennsylvania."

INFLATION SURGE IS TOP WEAPON FOR REPUBLICANS IN THEIR 2022 ARSENAL

Gerrity’s Supermarkets owner Joe Fasula said a shortage at each link in the supply chain has gotten "out of control," forcing the business to pass on rising prices to consumers.

President Joe Biden speaks at an event at the Electric City Trolley Museum in Scranton on October 20, 2021. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images / Getty Images)

"The best way to answer the question, 'When is inflation going to end?' is with another question of, 'When is the labor shortage going to end?' Because until a labor shortage ends, you're going to continue to see prices increase," Fasula said.

With Republicans needing a net gain of just one seat in the 2022 midterm elections to regain Senate majority, inflation could be the key economic issue that tips the scale.

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"It doesn’t matter what part of Pennsylvania I go to, businesses tell me the same thing: ‘We can’t find workers.’ It’s caused inflation," Barletta said.

"Usually there’s backlash to the people who are in office as the cause of that," he pointed out.  "That’s what I think is happening right now."

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