POLS ON THE STREET: This Week Is Deadline For Legislative Refills

by Joe Shaheeli

If you want to be one of those hankering to be the candidate to fill one of three vacant seats to be contested in a special election Aug. 11, then pay attention to what we write here.

COLORFUL ODUNDE Festival includes VIPs in attendance. In this photo are Councilman David Oh, Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, Congressman Bob Brady and Councilman Kenyatta Johnson. Photo by Joe Stivala

You already know House Speaker Mike Turzai called for special elections to be held on that Tuesday. I would guess the Republican majority pressured for that weird date, figuring they’d have a better chance to win at least one of the Philly districts in a period where most people are summer-minded and won’t come out in the numbers they would in the coming general election. That recently worked for them with the victory of State Rep. Martina White (R-Northeast).

Here is the scoop on what is required of endorsed and unendorsed candidates seeking to be nominated.

According to the Pennsylvania Dept. of State, endorsed Democrat and Republican candidates do not need signatures as they are selected by their respective parties.

Independent or third-party candidates are required to circulate nominating petitions. The number of signatures they need varies: In the 174^th and 191^st Dists., 300 signatures are needed. In the 195^th Dist., 338 signatures are needed.

Nominating petitions for the unendorsed must be obtained from the Dept. of State. The odds are against most challengers because the deadline to file is this Monday, the 22^nd. The deadline to challenge a nomination is Jun. 25.

Good news is there are no filing fees.

One of the vacancies was created in the Northeast’s 174^th Dist. by State Rep. John Sabatina, who was elected in a Senate special election in May to the seat held formerly by Lt. Gov. Mike Stack. Republicans may entertain hopes for a candidate of their own in the general election; we shall see if they can summon the muscle to place a candidate on the ballot.

The other two vacancies were recently created by the resignations of former Philadelphia House Democrats Ron Waters and Michelle Brownlee. The 190^th Dist. lies in West and Southwest Philadelphia along Cobbs Creek; the 195^th Dist. straddles West and North Philadelphia in Powelton Village, Mantua, Fairmount and Brewerytown.

Democratic ward leaders are combing through a field of candidates in both districts. They are under pressure to make endorsements this week.

In the 195^th, the deciders are the 15^th Ward’s Councilman Bill Greenlee, the 29^th Ward’s Frank Oliver, the 32^nd Ward’s Gary Williams, the 24^th Ward’s Bernadette Wyche and the 6^th Ward’s Pete Wilson. They are expected to caucus today or Friday.

Judge Jimmie Moore had early expressed interest in this seat but has since dropped out. Jamar Izzard, State Sen. Anthony Williams’ communications specialist, who lives in Brewerytown, has been exploring this job opening. There are rumors Fairmount progressive Anthony Ingargiola, who ran for this seat in 1990, might not mind another run. Analysts have a keen eye on the candidacy of Donna Bullock, a Strawberry Mansion attorney who serves as special assistant to Council President Darrell Clarke. Her background as a Community Legal Services and nonprofit lawyer would make good constituent-service credentials.

In the 190^th, the players are the 3^rd Ward’s Tony Williams, 40A’s Ed Thornton, 40B’s Anne Browne and the 51^st’s Vivian Miller. They are expected to caucus Last night, after this newspaper has gone to press.

Sen. Williams said eight different candidates have come forward seeking this seat. One of them is defense contractor Kyle Sampson, who is profiled on Page 32. Another is Southwest Philadelphia activist and former Deputy City Commissioner Tracey Gordon, a feisty campaigner who argues her name recognition, her record of grassroots civic involvement and her bipartisan political skills would suit her well as a State Representative.

Early speculation swirled around Alicia Burbage, a former staffer of Sen. Williams, and around Troy Dailey, a Southwest activist favored by the 40^th Ward leaders. But Williams said it is actually unlikely that a candidate will be chosen who is too closely identified with one particular ward leader.

“We need to find someone who can be expected to work well with many key players in the District, such as Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell,” he explained.

MAD at the way Pennsylvania’s first woman Attorney General has been treated by media and law-enforcement agencies, Penna. Federation of Democratic Women showed their support for Kathleen Kane with this picture at their annual state convention in Lancaster last weekend. Gwen Collins of Philly’s 16th Ward was reelected as State President for four years.

Turzai has already scheduled another special election for Aug. 4, to fill vacancies left when Glen Grell resigned his Cumberland County seat to take a job at PSERS, and the resignation of Joe Hackett in Delaware County.

Leanne Krueger-Braneky was named as the Democrats’ choice to run against Republican-picked Paul Mullen for the open 161st Legislative Dist. seat. Krueger-Braneky lost in 2014 to Hackett. She was supported by Gov. Tom Wolf’s Super PAC. She was defeated by incumbent GOP State Rep. Paul Hackett by a 56% to 44% margin last November.

Kane Will Have Stiff Competition

If those believing Attorney General Kathleen Kane will be an easy pushover in her primary or general campaigns, they’d better think again.

She has strong support from rank-and-file Democrats, as seen last week at the annual Convention of Democratic Women in Lancaster. They gave her a standing ovation as their leadership criticized the unfair treatment she has been getting from the main media.

NEW STATE REP. Martina White, star of GOP Happy Hour at Paddy Whacks on South Street last week, joined councilmanic candidate Terry Tracy, mayoral hopeful Melissa Murray Bailey and state judicial candidates Emil Giordano and Mike George.

Republican candidates to be are lining up hoping to edge each other out for the nomination to be her challenger next primary.

State Rep. Todd Stephens (R-Montgomery) is actively exploring a run. But he wants to wait until the state budget is resolved. Stephens is a graduate of Hatboro-Horsham HS and Shippensburg University, where he received a bachelor’s degree in government. He went to the Widener University School of Law.

He started out as an Assistant DA in Montgomery County before being appointed a Special Assistant US Attorney in 2004. During his time there, Stephens served as captain of the Sex Crimes, Firearms & Major Crimes Unit.

In 2010, he defeated incumbent Democrat Rick Taylor in the State House’s 151^st Dist. He is currently in his third term.

Then there is State Sen. John Rafferty (R-Chester), who announced his campaign for AG yesterday along with some heavy-hitter support at the Pennsylvania State Troopers Headquarters in Harrisburg.

Acknowledging Our Errors Here

What you read now is the correct way to spell the name of Kyle Wherrity, published incorrectly in our “Pols on the Street” column of last week. We may be hearing more of him shortly.

SEPTA gathered with elected officials and community members for ribbon-cutting ceremony for $1.7 million renovated 23rd & Venango Bus Loop in N. Phila. Project included added passenger amenities, ADA accessibility, and site lighting and landscape improvements. Pictured from left are Allegheny W. Foundation President Ronald Hinton; SEPTA Gen. Mgr. Joseph Casey; Councilwoman Cindy Bass; Congressman Chaka Fattah. In back are local community leaders and representative of SEPTA’s Accessibility Advisory Committee.

We wish to correct an inaccuracy in that same article, which said, “US Sen. Pat Toomey “has raised $600,000, while former Congressman Joe Sestak, who has long been in this race, has raised $312,000 for his efforts to date.”

The $312,000 amount raised, we have learned, refers to last quarter alone — not “to date.” In fact, as of the end of last quarter in March, the Sestak campaign had raised $2.5 million dollars. Thanks to Jake Sternberger who corrected us.

Looks as if Admiral Sestak’s use of shoe leather is paying off.

Dems On Early Alert Over 3 SC Vacancies

State Democratic leaders, even with a strong majority registration over their Republican compatriots, show some worry over the race to control the Supreme Court, where three seats are to be filled.

Not taking anything for granted, State Party Chairman Jim Burn reports, “Our staff at the Pennsylvania Democratic Party headquarters has been busy since our State Committee meeting, strengthening the infrastructure we will need for a Democratic sweep of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court this fall. The work we do for this fall’s elections will also serve as a foundation for the work we do in 2016 to elect a Democratic President.

“Without a doubt, these quiet summer months are not so quiet when it comes to planning for our future electoral successes. I am grateful to all the committee chairs, committee persons and volunteers who are spending this time developing strategies to register voters and recruit additional volunteers. Please remember that as much as we depend on you to carry out the day to day work of engaging voters and helping elect Democratic candidates, you can rely on us at Pennsylvania Democratic Party headquarters to help you. Please give us a call if there is any way in which we can be of service.”

Green Night Out With Jill Stein

Dr. Jill Stein will speak at Green Night Out, 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, Jun. 27, at Sang Kee Peking Duck House, 238 N. 9th Street in Chinatown. Stein is the president of the Green Shadow Cabinet, and she is considering a run for President of the US during 2016. This will certainly be a lively discussion on “Climate Justice & Energy Democracy.” Reservations for Green Night Out are $25/person. Please RSVP to (215) 243-7103 or gpop@gpop.org.

More information on the Green Party of Philadelphia can be found at http://www.gpop.org/news/?p=1668.

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