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Johnson, Sellers fare well in BerksCo

Republican insiders from Berks County sent a decidedly anti-establishment message this week, when their non-binding straw poll vote showed strong support for Lieutenant Governor candidate Steve Johnson and 6th District congressional candidate Patrick Sellers.

The votes did not reflect a formal endorsement, but were nonetheless indicative of at least some unrest among rank-and-file party insiders. A Johnson campaign insider said the York County businessman won 56 votes, compared to 17 for reform leader Russ Diamond and only one for Bucks County Commissioner Jim Cawley, the state party’s endorsed candidate.

Meanwhile, Tea Party activist Patrick Sellers’ campaign was trumpeting the results of the Thursday vote, saying he had won 51 percent of the vote, compared to 29 percent for incumbent Jim Gerlach and 20 percent for businessman Steven Welch.

“I felt that I got my message out to some real patriots, and they agreed with me on the message and supported me,” Sellers said in an interview. “I’m lucky enough to be the guy carrying the message at this point. This is the year for a freedom and limited government message.”

Whether the Berks support does anything. to significantly alter the daunting political landscape for either Johnson or Sellers is another question. In the 6th District race, in particular, it will be difficult to break through the chatter of two better-funded candidates in a high-profile primary, and thanks to the money he is putting into his own campaign, Welch remains a decidedly more serious threat to Gerlach than Sellers.

In a statement, Gerlach’s longtime political adviser Mark Campbell pointed to recent signs of support for the candidate.

“Jim had a really great night last night,” Campbell said. “In Area 2 (Pottstown) of Montgomery County, Jim was unanimously endorsed for re-election, and then in the last of the Chester County straw polls before Saturday’s endorsement convention, Jim won 14-2. In addition, on Thursday he earned the full support of Chester County Republican chairman Skip Brion. We’re confident Jim is the strongest candidate to win in May and to hold this seat for Republicans in November, particularly in Berks County where scientific polling data shows Jim leading 72-7 percent in the Republican primary and viewed favorably by 88 percent of Berks County Republicans who are most likely to vote this May.”

February 19, 2010 at 3:40 pm

--Dan Hirschhorn

Tags: Jim Cawley, Jim Gerlach, Lt. Gov., PA-6, Patrick Sellers, Russ Diamond, Steve Johnson, Steve Welch

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