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With deep local support, Saidel enters Lt. Gov. race

PHILADELPHIA—After more than a year of fundraising and building party support, former Philadelphia City Controller Jonathan Saidel formally entered the race for Lieutenant Governor on Monday, saying he was eager to return to public service and expand the role of an office usually seen as mostly ceremonial figurehead.

“I’m running because I miss helping people,” Saidel said before a cadre of elected officials and party leaders at City Hall here. “I really miss helping people. There is nothing like it. You can make all the money in the world but there is nothing like it.”

Saidel, who had been practicing law since serving as controller in the 1990s, was joined by members of City Council, union leaders, local ward leaders and other elected officials from throughout the region. In a significant show of support that came with chatter of other possible candidates on the rise, the city’s Democratic Party, led by longtime Saidel friend and party chairman Bob Brady, met earlier in the day to endorse Saidel.

“When Jonathan Saidel crosses this city from one and to the other,” local AFL-CIO leader Pat Eiding said, “I don’t care if you’re black, white, male, female, Jonathan Saidel has touched your hand or touched your life in some way.”

Said Anna Verna, president of City Council: “When he was the watchdog for the city, the city taxpayers literally saved hundreds of millions of dollars. … He’s a workaholic and I stand here to tell you that I am deeply proud to say that I support you, not 100 percent but 1,000 percent.”

Other officials on hand included City Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell; City Councilman Frank DiCicco; newly-inaugurated District Attorney Seth Williams and Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Hoeffel, who is running for governor. Next to Hoeffel stood Tom Knox, the wealthy Philadelphia businessman who withdrew from the governor’s race last week. The massive show of support seemed design to scare off any other heavy-hitters considering entering the race. Each official who took to the podium spoke up his value to a Democratic ticket.

Doris Smith-Ribner, a former Commonwealth Court judge who is the only other Democrat in the race and only began to campaign recently, said she welcomes Saidel to the contest.

“I’m the only candidate running in the Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor that has ever won a statewide election,” Smith-Ribner said in a statement. “I’ve decided countless cases that have impacted the daily lives of Pennsylvania’s families. This knowledge of the Commonwealth makes me uniquely qualified to be the next lieutenant governor during this important time in Pennsylvania’s history.”

During his 20-minute speech, Saidel said he wouldn’t settle for the traditional role lieutenant governors have assumed. Joking about the morbid nature of a job that calls for replacing the governor in the event of an untimely death, or at least just waiting for orders from the governor, Saidel said he’d be different.

“If anybody thinks that’s the kind of Lt. Gov. I’m going be, then you’re in big trouble,” he said. “Because we have problems … that are not going to be solved by waiting for someone to tell you what to do. I’m not going sit back and watch as people wring their hands in Harrisburg for 122 days wondering what kind of budget they’re gonna have. i am going to be involved.”

Log-on later for video and audio from Saidel’s announcement.

January 25, 2010 at 7:24 pm

--Dan Hirschhorn

Tags: Doris Smith-Ribner, Jonathan Saidel, Lt. Gov.

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