Saidel’s head start in Lt. Gov. race growing formidable

As the first candidate by far to pSaidel, a former Philadelphia City Controller, already has a campaign war-chest of more than half-a-million dollars, political consultants working on his behalf and he recently netted the endorsement of a major teacher’s union. A little less than a year before next year’s primary, it all means that other Democrats could end up hesitant to challenge him. Saidel is the a href="http://www.pa2010.com/2009/04/wanted-democrats-for-lt-gov/" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://www.pa2010.com']);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pa2010.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fwanted-democrats-for-lt-gov%2F','Wanted%3A+Democrats+for+Lt.+Gov.')" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://www.pa2010.com']);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pa2010.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fwanted-democrats-for-lt-gov%2F','only+Democrat')" target="_blank"only Democrat/a so far to signal his intention to run. Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty is a href="http://www.pa2010.com/2009/05/after-an-electoral-sweep-doherty-eyes-higher-office/" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://www.pa2010.com']);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pa2010.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fafter-an-electoral-sweep-doherty-eyes-higher-office%2F','considering+a+run')" target="_blank"considering a run/a, but may be leaning toward a Congressional bid instead./p
p“We have a great statewide base already in place,” said Don Jones, Saidel’s longtime political adviser who is managing his campaign. “We just feel real good about where we are.”/p
pSaidel’s early fundraising strength could prove his most important political weapon going forward. He had more than $660,000 on hand last month, according to a href="http://www.campaignfinance.state.pa.us/CFReport.aspx?CFReportID=70496&Section=Cover" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://www.campaignfinance.state.pa.us']);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fwww.campaignfinance.state.pa.us%2FCFReport.aspx%3FCFReportID%3D70496%26amp%3BSection%3DCover','campaign+finance+data')" target="_blank">campaign finance data, a large sum for a race that often costs less than half-a-million dollars to run. The sum is far more than other candidates for the office. Dauphin County Commissioner Nick DiFrancesco had about p“I think we have a very good advantage,” Jones said. “The last Lt. Gov. race cost about 400-grand; we should be close to, if not over, a million [dollars] soon.”/p
pAdded Saidel: “I think we’ll be able to get a message across as to what I think is important for the future of Pennsylvania. It’s a reflection of who we are and what we care about.”/p
pHis a href="http://www.philly.com/philly/news/pennsylvania/20090707_State_AFT_backs_Saidel_for_lieutenant_governor.html" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://www.philly.com']);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fnews%2Fpennsylvania%2F20090707_State_AFT_backs_Saidel_for_lieutenant_governor.html','recent+endorsement')" target="_blank">recent endorsement from the Pennsylvania chapter of the American Federation of Teachers reflected his long-standing relationships with organized labor.

“We have a history with Jon,” AFT state president Ted Kirsch told …

July 7, 2009 at 11:03 am | Comments (2)

Aichele makes Lt. Gov. run official

announced today. The Republican had already effectively said she would run …

June 23, 2009 at 12:32 pm | Comments (1)

Philly’s best-known fiscal watchdog eyes a spot in Harrisburg

PHILADELPHIA—Ask a handful of people who know Jonathan Saidel, and most will use the same word to describe how he’s feeling right now: restless.

It’s understandable. In the 1990s, he was a political star, a City Controller in Philadelphia who built a reputation as a fiscal reformer, transforming an office of less-than-token importance into a thorn in local politicians’ sides. He was in office less than a year when he blocked former Mayor Wilson Goode’s …

June 18, 2009 at 9:30 am | Comments (0)

Schenker says he’d step aside for Meehan in Lt. Gov. race

Republican Lieutanant Governor candidate Rick Schenker said Friday that he would drop out of the GOP primary if gubernatorial candidate Pat Meehan opts for a run for Lt. Gov. instead.

In a brief interview with pa2010.com, Schenker, the former Erie County Executive, said he wanted to be Lt. Gov. and push important policy issues onto the public agenda. But he said he was under no illusions that a race against someone like Meehan would …

June 12, 2009 at 2:40 pm | Comments (5)

Getting a head start, Saidel holds a fundraiser

Former Philadelphia City Controller Jonathan Saidel was one of the first people to signal his intention to run for Lieutenant Governor, and ever since then he’s been trying to get a head start on the race.

The momentum the Democrat hopes to build was on display Wednesday evening at a fundraiser he held at The Phildelphia Zoo. The Inquirer reports that Saidel pPhiladelphia City Council members Frank DiCicco, Bill Green and William Greenlee were all on hand, emThe Inquirer/em reports, as was state Senator Larry Farnese (D-Philadelphia) and Allegheny County Democratic Chairman Jim Burn./p
pSaidel is the a href="http://www.pa2010.com/2009/04/wanted-democrats-for-lt-gov/" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://www.pa2010.com']);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pa2010.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fwanted-democrats-for-lt-gov%2F','only+Democrat')" target="_blank"only Democrat/a to signal he is definitely running for the second-ticket office, but numerous Rebpublicans are in the race. Scranton Mayor a href="http://www.pa2010.com/2009/05/after-an-electoral-sweep-doherty-eyes-higher-office/" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://www.pa2010.com']);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pa2010.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fafter-an-electoral-sweep-doherty-eyes-higher-office%2F','Chris+Doherty')" target="_blank">Chris Doherty and Bucks County Democratic chairman …

June 11, 2009 at 1:28 pm | Comments (0)

Former state Rep. Kennedy considering jumping into Lt. Gov. race

More than a dozen Republicans are already thinking of running for Lieutenant Govenor, but former state Representative John Kennedy is mulling adding his name to that list, too.

Kennedy, who represented Cumberland County in the 1980s before losing GOP primaries for state Tresurer and state Senate, told pa2010.com that he was considering a run for the office, which he said could be far better utilized than it has been in the past.

“I’m not looking …

June 9, 2009 at 3:55 pm | Comments (1)

Meehan increasingly pressured to take a back seat

It started as the whispers of Republican concerns that a promising gubernatorial race could be derailed by a tough, intra-party fight.

But now, pressure on former U.S. Attorney and gubernatorial hopeful Pat Meehan is building, with at least three Republican officials directly asking him to run for Lieutenant Governor instead of Governor.

All three have made their requests in letters to Meehan. All have touted the political potential of a ticket that combines Meehan and …

June 9, 2009 at 11:15 am | Comments (4)

BucksCo’s Cordisco considering Lt. Gov. run

Bucks County Democratic leader John Cordisco is thinking about adding his name to the very small list of Democrats running for Lieutenant Governor next year, Cordisco told pa010.com.

In a brief interview last weekend during the State Committee gathering in Pittsburgh, Cordisco, who has headed up the county party for 7 years, said he had been approached by union and party leaders about the prospect of a run.

“Obviously it took me by surprise,” …

June 8, 2009 at 10:33 am | Comments (1)

Open state Senate seat could mean no Lt. Gov. run for Castor

UPDATE APPENDED (see bottom)

Montgomery County Commissioner Bruce Castor had expressed interest in running for the GOP nomination for Lieutenant Governor. But an open state Senate seat could change all that.

Castor, a Republican who has been mostly the new head of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce this week, Castor’s name was floated almost immediately as a possible successor.

If he were to win the seat, it would mean a political escape from minority …

June 3, 2009 at 9:53 am | Comments (3)

Aichele in for Lt. Gov.

Chester County Commissioner Carol Aichele is laying the groundwork for a GOP run for Lieutenant Governor, The Delaware County Daily Times …

June 2, 2009 at 12:29 pm | Comments (2)