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EXCLUSIVE: Lower Merion commish might join 6th District Dem primary

Democratic insiders across the 6th Congressional District have increasingly been seeing next year’s primary as a two-man race between Doug Pike and Manan Trivedi. But a third candidate is likely to jump in soon.

Lower Merion Township Commissioner Brian Gordon confirmed Thursday that he is seriously considering a run and will make a final decision within a week. In an interview with pa2010.com, Gordon said he was moving “quickly because I know time is of the essence here.”

A person who has spoken with him about the race said Gordon will almost definitely run.

“I looked at the field of candidate, and they seem like very good people, very nice guys,” Gordon said. “But they did not strike me as very compelling or very likely to prevail [in the general election] next year.

“I have the best ideas and I can best articulate them to the voters of the 6th Congressional District,” Gordon added.

The political hurdles of getting into the race at this point would be significant. Pike and Trivedi have been jockeying for supporters across the district for months now in a contest that has recently become more heated, and while Gordon said he was well on his way to lining up financial supporters for a run, he acknowledged that his candidacy will come as a surprise to most.

“It’s obviously a challenge,” Gordon said.

On top of that, he hails from the Montgomery County of the district, an area that has in the past produced Democratic nominees that lost in November. At the same time, there are many party committee members who have yet to commit in the race, and Gordon voiced confidence that they would keep an open mind.

Gordon was first elected a township commissioner in 2005, wining a Merion Station seat that had been held by the GOP for two decades. He won reelection to a second term last month. During his time in office, he has been a leader in open-space issues and was a fierce advocate against the use of eminent domain land acquisitions in Ardmore.

He might not be the only Lower Merion township commissioner to run: V. Scott Zelov, a Republican, is also considering a campaign in the more crowded GOP primary.

“As a country,” Gordon said, “we are facing problems that are incredibly complex and rquire incredible thoughtfulness to formulate appropriate policy. … I would just ask that any committee people who haven’t committed yet hold off until the see the entire field.”

December 10, 2009 at 9:25 pm

--Dan Hirschhorn

Tags: Brian Gordon, Doug Pike, Manan Trivedi, Montgomery County, PA-6, V. Scott Zelov

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