POLS ON THE STREET: Philadelphia State House District Races Upstage Bigger Contests!

by Joe Shaheeli

PRESIDENT Bill Clinton thanks Democratic City Committee Chairman Congressman Bob Brady for his party’s huge support every time he ran and for Bob’s support of his legislation in Congress.

No matter how you cut it, there is nothing as exciting as a hotly contested legislative-district race. That’s when our highly touted and well-televised presidential candidates fade into the background.

Many voters in Philadelphia will be surprised when they go to the polls Apr. 26 to find more than the average one or two workers or the committee people standing outside promoting various candidates.

One neighboring legislative district in Upper Darby and 12 in Philadelphia are under contention.

In nearby Upper Darby, the 164th sees a serious challenge for State Rep. Margo Davidson from Councilwoman Sekela Coles. Margo knows by now all elections are local and this is a local fight. The PFT has endorsed Coles.

In the Northeast, Democrats Matthew Darragh and Francis Nelms are fighting for the right to challenge Republican State Rep. Martina White in the general for the 170th Dist.

US SENATE candidate Joe Sestak made it a point to see Pentecostal Clergy in Germantown to be vetted by Bishop Leonard C. Goins and committee. Photo by Wendell Douglas

State Rep. Michael O’Brien (D-Kensington) is used to challenges in his 175th, though this one could prove tough from Sean Sullivan.

The 179th features State Rep. Jason Dawkins (D-Kensington), who is being challenged by former State Rep. James Clay, Jr.

In the 182nd, State Rep. Brian Sims (D-S. Phila.) has lost the endorsements of both the 8th and 5th wards to Ben Waxman. He can only hope Louis Lanni, Jr., and Marni Jo Snyder take enough votes away from Waxman to give him a chance. Sims has received a lesson in local politics. There was no reason why he should have thrown his supporters into disbelief by announcing his intention to challenge Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-Phila.). He has discovered it was a mistake, but too late to get his old supporters to feel comfortable with his claim he “loves” his legislative base.

In the 186th, State Rep. Jordan Harris (D-S. Phila.) looks to be an easy winner against Nathan Chatmon and Leonard Warren Bullard.

CLEF CLUB saw unusual performance as State Sen. Vincent Hughes impressed crowd of elite donors.

We never can understand why there are those in the 188th Dist. who do not understand how important is State Rep. James Roebuck (D-W. Phila.) to public schools. It’s Quenzel Prettyman’s turn to learn the lesson.

State Rep. Vanessa Lowery Brown (D-W. Phila.) can blame her primary headache on her criminal indictment. Drawn to challenge her, as a result, are repeat contestant Wanda Logan, Reginald Louis Harold, Darryl Thomas, Theodore Smith, Movita Johnson-Harrell and Raymond Bailey. She is praying all will make her the plurality winner in the 190th.

In the 192nd, Morgan Cephas, Edwin Santana, Steven Jones and Jestine Johnson believe they have a chance against incumbent State Rep. Lynwood Savage (D-W. Phila.). From our read, they need to save their money and time and try their luck at a nearby casino on election day.

Destined for another hectic primary in the 194th is State Rep. Pam DeLissio (D-Northwest), who may find Sean Patrick Stevens has votes in her suburban stronghold as well.

Now a member of the House, State Rep. Donna Bullock (D-N. Phila.) seems she’s been in her 195th Legislative seat for a long time. She has the strongest support. Challenging her are popular Jimmy Moore, Jamar Izzard and Donnell Lamar Jones.

In the 200th, newly elected State Rep. Tonyelle Cook-Artis (D-Northwest) seems secure. But she has two Democratic primary challengers: Christopher Rabb and Bobbie Curry.

Hot and heavy is the sweat pouring from the 202nd Legislative Dist.’s State Rep. Mark Cohen (D-Northeast) and repeat challenger Jared Solomon.

CITY Ward Leaders lined up to express approval of Councilman Mark Squilla’s performance in office at gala event at Fillmore. Seen are Lou Agre (21st); Janice Sulman (53rd); Matt Myers (39B); Rosanne Pauciello (39A); Edward Nesmith (2nd); Harry Enggasser (45th); Michael Boyle, Esq. (5th); Donna Aument (33rd); Anthony Faulk (new leader of 51st); and Thomas Rumbaugh (1st). Photo by Joe Stivala

After Commonwealth Court Senior Judge James Gardner Colins on Mar. 18 denied Cohen’s petition challenge, Cohen appealed the decision to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. That Court also rejected the appeal.

Now with legal tactics behind them, odds seem to favor Solomon, who has picked up the Democratic caucus endorsement for the 202nd that for years had been automatically delivered to Cohen.

However, Cohen has added Joseph Driscoll to his campaign team, who reports the incumbent is outpolling his challenger and notes he now has two years of reaching the new voters of his redrawn district.

The 5th Senatorial Dist. has several wards in a turmoil. A caucus endorsement for incumbent State Sen. John Sabatina, Jr. (D-Northeast) was switched to challenger State Rep. Kevin Boyle (D-Northeast), then switched back with the return of Lt. Gov. Mike Stack, who, as 58th Ward leader, managed to undo it.

In any event, the wards are split. Union support is split, but the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO endorsement for Sabatina came in as most-welcome news for the incumbent.

Pennsylvania AFL CIO President Richard Bloomingdale noted, “Working families need public officials who will fight for middle-class jobs and an economy that doesn’t leave people behind.”

A recent poll gives double-digit support to Sabatina over Boyle. And herein lies the answer to a key question: Will committee people and ward leaders able to persuade voters to change their mind as they enter the polls? This is one for political scientists to study and analyze. One needs to understand the Sabatinas and the Boyles are highly charged political families trained in ground-game politics.

Last but not least is the see-saw battle in the 2nd Congressional Dist. with Congressman Chaka Fattah picking up ground support. Though challenger State Rep. Dwight Evans (D-N. Phila.) does not have the same visibility as the incumbent, he has some strong wards behind him. This is another one for the history books.

Fred Druding Setting Marathon Records!

STATE REP candidate Jim Pio with wife Khara were joined by hard-working GOP activists Marc Collazzo, Giuseppe daily, JoeDeFelice, Scott Woller and Mike DeNoia at Michelangelo funder. Photo by Bill Myers

This weekend concludes Fred Druding’s hard training for the “Big Sur International Marathon. He ran in Pittsburgh up the steepest street in the United States, followed by a five-mile Love Run up Lemon Hill and a sub-1:34 “Love Run” followed by 5 miles on Lemon Hill.

He said, “If we were told we could only run one marathon in our lifetime, Big Sur would have to be it.”

Bring home the memory and record, Fred.

Judicial Age Ballot Stalled

Lawmakers delayed a ballot referendum on mandatory judicial retirement age. The planned Apr. 26 ballot question regarding the mandatory retirement age of Pennsylvania’s judges now gets pushed back to the November general election, a much larger turnout. This is because of concerns about the wording of the Apr. 26 ballot question – and the State Supreme Court’s unwillingness to alter the wording. Gov. Wolf concurred.

Mayor Jim Kenney Endorses Zappala

Mayor Jim Kenney joined his former opponent in the mayoral race, State Sen. Anthony Williams (D-W. Phila.), in a new television commercial endorsing Stephen Zappala for State Attorney General.

“Steve’s record of taking illegal guns off the street, combating violence against woman, and fighting wrongful convictions and bias in the justice system makes him the clear choice. Steve has also protected our tax dollars by convicting politicians when they have crossed the line,” said the Mayor.

Rafferty Gains Commissioner Endorsements For AG

Attorney General candidate State Sen. John Rafferty (R-Montgomery) announced his campaign continues to gain momentum as he picked up the endorsement of seven more county commissioners.

STATE REP. Mike O’Brien found himself at home in Queen Village at reception hosted by Marge & Alex Schernecke. From left are David Auspitz, Alex, O’Brien, Marge and Rod Herrera.

The seven county commissioners join 42 county commissioners and county-council members throughout the state who have previously endorsed Rafferty.

Rafferty said, “I’m grateful to have the endorsement and support of so many county commissioners and county-council members.”

Rafferty is a former deputy attorney general. He has also been endorsed for attorney general by the Republican Party of Pennsylvania as well as the Pennsylvania State Troopers Association, Pennsylvania State Fraternal Order of Police and the Pennsylvania State Professional Firefighters Association.

Governor Wolf Approves Aramark Announcement

Gov. Tom Wolf said he is “pleased that Aramark will continue to call Philadelphia home. Aramark is one of Pennsylvania’s largest employers, with more than 14,000 employees across the state. The decision to remain here is good news for our workforce and Pennsylvania’s overall economy. We look forward to continuing to work with Aramark through their site selection process.”

Aramark is the world’s largest US-based provider of food and facilities services and uniforms, and has been based in Philadelphia since 1961. The company has been considering the location of its headquarters since last year in advance of its current lease’s expiration in 2018.

Can Sestak Pull Off A Victory?

This could be Navy Adm. Joe Sestak making his last stand against Democratic Party leaders who’ve been trying to sink him for six years and counting.

On paper, Sestak is about everything Democrats could want in a Senate candidate: a charismatic, decorated veteran elected to the House from a swing district who nearly defeated Republican Pat Toomey in 2010, one of the toughest election years for Democrats in decades.

LT. GOV. Mike Stack toured Mazzoni Health Center escorted by Nurse Nurit Shein and Dr. Robert Winn.

In response, the whole D.C. Democratic gang is all-in for Sestak’s main Democratic rival, Katie McGinty — from Barack Obama and Joe Biden to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.). More than that, the national party is dropping more than $1 million to push McGinty past Sestak — a rare move by Democrats in a Senate primary that reflects their level of disdain for him.

Indeed, the infighting here threatens to do significant harm to Democrats’ hopes in the general election in Pennsylvania, a state that’s essentially a must-win for the party’s hopes of wresting the Senate from Republicans.

“It’s a disgrace,” fumes David Landau, chairman of the Delaware County Democratic Party, which is hosting Sestak on this warm April night. “It’s personal. They don’t like him. Joe’s quirky sometimes. He’s independent. He’s not going to always do what the leadership tells him to do.”

It’s Obvious Wolf Doesn’t Read Polls

LOYAL rack of Ward Leaders Bob Dellavella, Roseanne Pauciello and Pat Parkinson pitched in for Commissioner Lisa Deeley’s fundraiser.

Following the longest state budget impasse in 60 years, Gov. Tom Wolf’s job-approval rating is cratering, according to the latest Quinnipiac poll. Just 35% of voters approve of the job Wolf is doing, while 52% disapprove.

The split, -17% approval, is dramatically lower than either Govs. Tom Corbett or Ed Rendell at the same time in their administrations.

“It’s clear that the State-budget impasse, during which Wolf demanded the highest tax increases in America, has taken its toll on the Governor’s approval rating,” commented Nathan Benefield, vice president of policy analysis for the conservative Commonwealth Foundation. “As Wolf enters a second budget season, he will have less political capital than either of his immediate predecessors. The numbers don’t lie; Pennsylvanians are rejecting Wolf’s tax-and-spend agenda.”

   Send article as PDF