GOP Looking For A Few Good Mayoral Candidates

Philadelphia - Political talk fills the papers and airwaves in the City of Brotherly Love these days.
Most of the yowling and yammering at the moment has to do with the growing confidence the Democrats are feeling in the statewide elections coming in November.
While the bright hope lies with Republican Senator Rick Santorum rapidly closing the once double-digit lead of his Democratic challenger, Pennsylvania Treasurer Bob Casey, down to low single digits, most of the other Republican incumbents in this area are finding themselves in the fight of their political lives.
The general election in the fall will be followed by an important city primary election in spring. In most cases, in most races, it will be without doubt the winner of the May Democratic primary who will win the city office in the fall general election.
The last Republican Mayor in Philadelphia, Bernard Samuel, was first elected in 1944 and served until 1952. Democrats have been elected to that office ever since.
When City Council had a full body of 17 members serving in 2005, 14 members were Democrats. Three members, all Democrats, are now gone from their offices. When special elections are held in November three more Democrats are virtually guaranteed election, though Republicans note disgraced City Councilman Rick Mariano's seat was Republican before he came along.
For most observers' money, if the council numbers change at all next year it would likely change in the Democrats' favor not the Republicans.
Talks with Republican leadership in the city confirm the difficulty of finding Republicans willing to run for office in Philadelphia. The effort required to even get on the ballot, never mind winning, is so enormous most people who even think about running Republican are intimidated and give up the idea.
Local Republican Party Counsel Michael Meehan claims there are "two or three people" who have spoken with him about running as GOP candidates for mayor.
When talking with GOP ward leaders, a few Republican names come up as "interested" in the mayoral race. They include Councilman Frank Rizzo, Al Taubenberger, President of the Greater Northeast Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, and the Republican candidate for City Controller in 2005 Hillel Levinson.
There is also some talk of the Republican Party cross-endorsing Democratic Congressman and Democratic Party Chairman Bob Brady if he throws his hat in the mayoral ring.
Meehan says Rizzo has told him he has "some interest" in running.
Many Republicans hope that when the crowded field in the Democratic primary race shakes out one of the candidates on that side will come over and run Republican in the general election in November 2007.
That's what Rizzo's father, Frank Rizzo Sr., did a decade ago.J
oe DeFelice is an attorney from Mayfair who worked on John Perzel's campaign.DeFelice wants to see the apparent Democratic Mayoral hopeful and powerful union leader John Dougherty run for Mayor on the Republican ticket:"I'm open to other candidates, but Dougherty believes in family values and supports our neighborhoods," DeFelice asserts. "He often says that 'The only way to not forget where you come from is not to leave.' And I strongly believe in that too. I want my kids and my kids' kids to able to grow up and live here."
Meehan is more enthused about Republican chances in the at-large council seats where, he says, at least "eight to 12 people" have spoken to him about running for the seat.
Meehan also notes there is some talk about 6th District Councilwoman Joan Krajewski retiring. He believes if that happens the Republicans could run a strong candidate in that area.
Meehan acknowledges the difficulty of running Republican in City Council elections in most of the city. In many cases just getting enough signatures on the nominating petition to get on the ballot can be a huge challenge."In some districts there are only 3,000 registered Republicans," Meehan remarked. "We understand the plight of some of these candidates."
David C. Thomsen is the Republican Chairman in the 15th Ward. This past year he assisted in an effort to get Temple graduate David Corbett on the ballot to run against Frank Oliver in the 195th legislative district. The campaign came close to getting 300 signatures, but wasn't near enough."
Third parties get three or four months to gather signatures. We only get three weeks." Thomsen complained.
David Oh is the GOP Ward Leader in the 3rd Ward and a former candidate for City Council at-large in 2003. He's a former Assistant District Attorney and served in the U.S. Army Special Forces. He's now an employment attorney in his own law practice.
Oh is currently exploring another run for an at-large seat in 2007.
"I find that the barrier that arises is that people don't want to do this because they feel that everything is against them," he mused. "You've really got to want to run. You have to have a reason to run, present yourself, and be sincere about it."
I believe this would be a better city if people wouldn't discount the Republican Party. It would be a good city if there was strong competition between the parties."
Matt Wolfe is a Republican ward leader in University City and a Center City attorney.
He's optimistic about a 150 percent increase in Republican registrations in his 27th ward and attributes it to having better ward leaders in place.Still, he admits, "We are hopeful we will get enough signatures to run somebody against [Councilwoman] Jannie Blackwell. If we do run somebody it will be difficult to win."
Wolfe acknowledges getting enough signatures just to get on a the ballot is difficult, and a Republican candidate for mayor is likely going to be merely an exercise in party building next year - unless somebody decides to switch parties."
All too often," Wolfe notes, "days before circulating the nominating petition we are sitting around wondering who we are getting to run. That's not a formula for success. Citywide there will be no problem getting anyone to run for City Council-at-large. A few will be disappointed when they don't get the endorsement."
The problems, of course, are not all at the top.
DeFelice works for the Pennsylvania Republican Party in Philadelphia helping ward leaders staff election boards.
He notes, "Most people don't care. There are not enough Republicans in certain areas. And the few who are around you have to get them to want to work, but you need ten signatures to get on the ballot and sometimes there are not even ten Republicans in the division. The only way to get through is to have a big presence in the city and [Republican Gubernatorial Candidate and Hall of Fame football player] Lynn Swann is the man who's going to do it. He's already helping us reach areas we normally wouldn't be able to reach.
DeFelice's message for Philadelphians: "Give us a chance and we'll give you a choice. We won't let the Democrats take your neighborhoods for granted."

Philadelphia Police to Enforce Curfew in Mayfair

PHILADELPHIA POLICE TO ENFORCE CURFEW IN MAYFAIR

In response to several incidents over the last few weeks, please be advised that The Philadelphia Police Department has been requested to strictly enforce the curfew laws in and around Mayfair. Philadelphia Police Department’s new captain of The 15th District Frank Bachmeyer has meet with members of The Mayfair Civic Association, Mayfair Community Development Corporation and Mayfair Townwatch as well as many neighbors concerning crime and the quality of life issues. The overwhelming response from the neighborhood was enforcing the curfews laws in Mayfair. Captain Bachmeyer agreed with the community leaders and has a special team of officers assigned to the Mayfair area to strictly enforce the curfew laws. You will also notice an increased police presence in the Mayfair area.
Any person age 17 and under must be off the streets by 10:30 pm Sunday through Thursday and 12:00 midnight Friday and Saturday. We are asking that the parents of children 17 and under assist your community as well as The Philadelphia Police department in assuring your children are home and under your guidance according to the above listed times. We hope to continue this program until Labor Day and the start of the new school year . This new program will assist in keeping Mayfair a great place to live and work as well as keeping a high standard of the quality of life. Thank you for your continued supported of Philadelphia’s greatest neighborhood, Mayfair.

Sincerely,

Scott Cummings Reese Hardy Art Dettra
President President President
Mayfair Civic Association Mayfair CDC Mayfair Townwatch

Mayor Rizzo?

Mayor Rizzo?
Meanwhile, a Republican with great name recognition and popularity among Democrats is still mulling a mayoral run. City Councilman at-large Frank Rizzo Jr. said he is talking to advisors and will make a decision shortly. Rizzo, the son of the popular mayor, was first elected in 1995 after garnering more votes than incumbent GOP Councilwoman Joan Specter. His office is known for its constituent services. "It would be difficult to jump into a Democratic field," said Rizzo. "I would have to study the logistics and work out a strategy. If I ran as Republican, I know that Mike Meehan would endorse me."
Meehan said he would look favorably on any elected Republican official that wanted to run for mayor but had not yet had the discussion with Rizzo. "I think he may have some more work he wants to do in City Council," he said.
Still, Rizzo theorizes that he would do well in a crowded Democratic-primary field and would ask his Republi-can supporters to register Democratic for the primary if he ran in that party. "I do very well in the African-American community," he stated. "I would do better than Michael Nutter and Dwight Evans in the primary."
He may be right: In a recent poll conducted for a client of the firm Ceisler Jubelirer, Rizzo polled the highest. Larry Ceisler said he could not reveal the client or the poll questions, but the poll dealt with rating various elected officials in the city.
Speaking of Ceisler Jubelirer, congrats to firm co-principal Jeff Jubelirer and his wife, Tracey, on the birth of daughter Sofie Brett.

A Two-Party Town by '08?

A Two-Party Town by '08
by Mary F. Patel
Kevin Kelly is on a mission. In an op-ed in last week's Inquirer, Kelly, chairman of the Philadelphia Federation of Young Republicans, slammed the local GOP party for laying down on the job. "If the city's Republican Party hopes to rise from the ashes of mediocrity, it better get into the business of providing the best ideas on each and every topic, and then finding a vehicle for delivering those ideas," wrote Kelly.
As a spin-off, he then organized the Philadelphia Leadership Project, a gathering of civic-minded young people that aims to change the incestuous climate of City Hall deal-making. Their first meeting was scheduled for Aug. 9 at a large cocktail party at the Vesper boathouse. Kelly, an Air Force Reserve fighter pilot who returned a few months ago from Iraq, planned to outline his frustrations with the city.
"We need poll watchers. There is not enough of a Republican presence and there is voter fraud where people vote multiple times," he said during a recent interview. "We live in a great city that is run by a machine that hands out patronage jobs. There are no ideas and no vision. We could be a first-class city, but we're not because of bad leadership."
Kelly added that the Republicans are part of the problem because they accept the status quo as long as they get jobs. "I want to start on the grassroots level and get people involved," he said. "Sunlight is the best antiseptic."
While Republicans in the city have not held power for 50 years, there are some out there. GOP City Committee General Counsel Michael Meehan, whose grandfather Austin, and father, Billy, held the reins of power when the Republicans had control, disagrees with Kelly's assessment that Republicans are shadow Democrats.
"Kevin should be recruiting committee people and candidates rather than hosting wine-and-cheese parties," said Michael Meehan during an interview from his office at Wolf Block. "The Republican Party is not going to gain power overnight. It takes time — and that time will come."
Meehan said the perception that he works with U.S. Rep. and Democratic Party Chairman Bob Brady is correct; the two of them get along and often cooperate. "I will work with anyone to move this city forward," Meehan explained.
Meehan agreed that voter fraud has been, and could again be, a problem since it is not required to show ID when voters appear at the polls. "This is one issue that the far right and far left agree on," he said.
The theory that maintains local Democrats and Republicans are similar may not be too far off and Meehan pointed out that many well-known Democrats were once Republicans.
"Frank DiCicco, Joan Krajewski, Russell Nigro and Jonathan Saidel were all Republicans once," said Meehan.

Back Channels | How to lose the hangdog attitude

Commentary Philadelphia Republicans
Back Channels How to lose the hangdog attitude
By Kevin Ferris
Commentary Page Editor
Believe it or not, there are Republicans in Philadelphia who would like to try to win elections. Not just show up for the annual ballot-box slaughter. Actually compete for votes. Offer alternatives on issues. Give Philadelphians a choice of policies when it comes to solving the city's problems.
Some Republican candidates have done that, most notably Sam Katz in his tries for mayor. But too often, such campaigns are built around one candidate, and when that race is finished, it seems the party is, too. The momentum dies. The GOP gets put up on a shelf, to be dusted off in two or four years to back the next elephant-riding Don Quixote.
Some would like to change that dynamic.
In January, 400 to 500 people turned out for a candidate night sponsored by the Philadelphia Federation of Young Republicans at the Crystal Tea Room in Center City. When the first candidate rose to speak, the fire alarm sounded, clearing much of the room. Fortunately, there was no fire, fueling speculation that it was really a "GOP alarm" - that is, if 500 Republicans gather that close to City Hall, it trips a switch somewhere that puts Democrats on full alert.
Since then, some of the folks at the candidate night have stayed in touch, by phone, e-mail or in person. They've been asked what they think of next year's mayoral election. Specifically, what does the city GOP need to do to get in the game? So far, the media attention is going to six or seven Democrats who are running or considering a run. The Republican candidate-development plan seems to be to hope for one of the other party's rejects, like electricians' union leader John J. Dougherty.
One result of those conversations is today's impassioned commentary by Kevin Kelly, who organized the Crystal Tea Room event. He's not speaking for his group, but he's not alone in his concerns.
To start, considering recent events in the city, some Republicans have recently said they couldn't believe all the talk of Democrats' having a lock on winning again next year.
Joseph M. McColgan of the Northeast says, "When a corruption scandal within the walls of City Hall is firing on all cylinders, and you hear nothing from any Republican in the City of Philadelphia, that is not a good thing."
Robert S. Nix of Fox Chase agrees: "The local Republican Party is not yet taking full advantage of the opportunities presenting themselves through widespread disgust and distrust of longtime local Democratic Party control... . The Republican Party leadership is simply too resistant to change and too comfortable with the role of being the minority party."
McColgan says, "Questioning our leaders is the most important thing... . I'm not saying challenge the ward or committee structure or be disrespectful or obnoxious. But I am saying challenge them to do better, to think differently, and to accept that change is good and should not be perceived as a threat."
Republicans agree that there is no shortage of issues to campaign on. Nix says the priorities have to be crime and youth violence. McColgan has those on his list, but also stresses education, business development, job creation, lower taxes, and restructuring city government. ("Do we really need seven at-large Council seats?" he asks.)
Mara Toukatly of Fairmount says the party needs specific policy proposals that reject the a la carte approach to tackling issues. For example, she suggests a "full-blown initiative" that puts education, business, jobs and taxes on a continuum. First, she wants a push for a majority of city high school graduates to attend college, a local college. She believes businesses would be drawn to that local talent - if there's a sensible tax structure in place - and would create jobs that would keep local grads local. After some work experience, she wants those young people starting their own businesses - and then hiring local grads.
Local Republicans also emphasize finding, mentoring and training people to go out and compete - for mayor and other offices as well.
Jeff Jubelirer of Center City says: "The Republican Party needs to take baby steps. We need to convert a Democrat with moderate points of view who will show Philadelphians that the world isn't going to fall down because they vote Republican. Electing a mayor would be wonderful, a home run, better than we could hope for. But if we can't get mayor, why not go for Council districts or state representative?"
Of course, this is partisan talk, spoken by people who want to see one party replace another in City Hall. But these people are also Philadelphians who want to see their city succeed, who believe an election should involve more than a backroom deal that allows a mayor and a congressman to switch jobs.
As McColgan says, "It boils down to one thing: leadership, not only from the party in power, but from the party not in power - the desire to do good, not for yourself or your friends, but for the people."
Contact Commentary Page editor Kevin Ferris at kf@phillynews.com or 215-854-5801.

The party needs to stop thinking it can never win

Commentary Philadelphia Republicans
The party needs to stop thinking it can never win
By Kevin Kelly
My high school football coach would always tell us, "Gentlemen, losing is a habit." With those sage words in mind, look at the inability of the Philadelphia Republican Party to win a mayoral election over the last half-century and you'll quickly realize that we are, indeed, in the habit of losing.
The last time we were able to hang the banner of victory was in 1947, when Bernard Samuel defeated Democrat Richardson Dilworth, 413,091 votes to 321,469. Since then, city Republicans have been on a losing streak that makes our beloved Eagles look like the New York Yankees (sorry about mixing sports leagues in my metaphor).
Excuses abound: Democratic registration outnumbers Republican 4 to 1; Philly is a union town and always will be; a Republican mayoral candidate could never get the black vote. But here's one I've never heard: We can't win because the Democratic leadership in our city is just too good, too outstanding, too competent.
Until someone convinces me that our city, the birthplace of the greatest nation in history, is being governed in a fashion that would please our Founding Fathers, I refuse to believe that a change in leadership is impossible.
I always liken Philadelphia voters to frogs. If you put a frog in a pot of boiling water, he'll leap right out. But if you put a frog in a pot of cool water and slowly turn up the heat, he'll stay there until he boils to death. Philly voters have been slowly boiling in a tub of systemic corruption, patronage, pay-to-play, cronyism, fiscal mismanagement, intolerably high crime, poorly performing schools, and business-killing taxes. Grab a voter from somewhere else and plop him into today's political cauldron. He'd scream bloody murder and jump right out. Not us. We let our political class keep us on slow burn.
On the heels of one of the city's biggest corruption scandals, what name springs to mind as the voice of the loyal opposition?
Who within the GOP is always there with an alternative vision, a better way of doing business?
Who is constantly on watch, pointing out unethical behavior that damages the public good?
When indictments are handed down or when the mayor's brother gets another city contract, what Republican does Channel 6 push a microphone in front of for a retort?
The answer to all of the above is - drum roll, please - I have no idea either! For as long as I can remember, our party has utterly failed to engage Democrats over ideas that would make Philadelphia a first-class city again.
This failure to create an alternative vision - on taxes, budgeting, schools, crime, quality of life, arts funding, social programs, and even something as simple as timing the lights to alleviate traffic jams, for goodness sake - is why every four years we look like Gerry Cooney squaring off against the young Mike Tyson. At the very least, we should learn from our losses and define how we are different from the Democrats, constantly reminding Philadelphians that there is a real and tangible substitute for the political machine that stands for high taxes, low standards, and dubious ethics.
Instead, we continue business as usual. We run a candidate, he gets shellacked and vanishes. Three and a half years later we scramble for a candidate as if we didn't realize there'd be another election.
How about a vision?
A farm team that cultivates prospective leaders?
A deep bench that we can go to when, say, a City Council seat is vacated due to a corruption conviction or when someone leaves for a stab at higher office?
Just as chance favors the prepared mind, it also favors the prepared political party. Quite simply, we have been consistently and woefully unprepared.
I realize there are many good people on both sides of an issue. There are not, however, necessarily good ideas on both sides of an issue. If the city's Republican Party hopes to rise from the ashes of mediocrity, it better get into the business of providing the best ideas on each and every topic, and then finding a vehicle for delivering those ideas. Only a real and substantial shift in our strategy and message will produce meaningful results. It will not be an easy change to make, but hard work spotlights the character of people: Some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all.
In order to be walked on, you have to be lying down. Our party has been lying down for far too long, and many Republicans are tired of it. They want to see a game plan with clear, measurable and achievable objectives. They want to be valued and contributing members of that plan. They want a party that is a force for change in the city we all love, a city that is hungry for and deserving of truly outstanding leadership. Please don't tell me that game plan is the status quo.
Talking Politics
Kevin Kelly will discuss city politics on
"The Michael Smerconish Morning Show" live today at 6:30 a.m. on WPHT-AM (1210). A podcast of the interview will be available later at www.thebigtalker1210.com.
Kevin Kelly (grace522@comcast.net) is chairman of the Philadelphia Federation of Young Republicans, but the views expressed are his, not the organization's.

The Philadelphia Leadership Project's Boathouse Bash

Host: The Philadelphia Leadership Project PAC
Location: Vesper BoathouseKelly Drive, Philadelphia, PA
When: Wednesday, August 9, 6:00pm to 9:00pm
Join the Philadelphia Leadership Project for our first annual Boathouse Bash with Special Guest Jim Matthews, Candidate for Lt Governor Food, Open Bar and Entertainment
$25 per personplease make checks payable to PLP PAC