GOP Rally

by Mary F. Patel

Republican Michael Cibik, GOP 5th Ward leader, hosted his annual fireworks/deck party on July 4. The event also served as a fundraiser for GOP state House candidate Matt Taubenberger, and a reason to rally Republican troops for the general election.

Taubenberger — son of former Republican mayoral candidate Al Taubenberger — is seeking to replace his current boss, state Rep. George Kenney. Kenney is not seeking re-election.

Matt, who handles constituent services for the departing state rep, said Kenney is leaving office after 24 years in the House to spend more time with his family.

Kenney represents the 170th legislative district, which includes the far Northeast and parts of Montgomery County. He's leaving office at a time when many Republicans on both the state and national level are trying to win back seats they lost or are fighting to stay in office.

Kenney's departure leaves his long-held Republican seat vulnerable. Democrats could very well carry the district if voters pull the big "D" lever in their support of Barack Obama in November.

Democrat Brendan Boyle is running against Taubenberger. He last ran in 2006 and gave Kenney a run for his money. It is not clear if Kenney opted out in anticipation of the time and funds he'd need to defend his seat.

Taubenberger, 31, said he is confident that he can beat Boyle because he is an aggressive campaigner.

"I knock on doors," he said. "Hundreds and hundreds of doors. And then I go back and knock on them again and people remember that."

Republican House leadership, such as former House Speaker John Perzel and current Speaker Dennis O'Brien, are said to be unhappy with Kenney's departure. The state GOP says it is dedicated to getting Taubenberger elected in the only local House race that is contentious and could swing either way.

Back at the deck party, other Republican guests were busily discussing other campaigns.

Karen Chizeck is fundraising for GOP candidate Marina Kats, who is running against Democrat incumbent U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz in the 13th congressional district, which covers Northeast Philadelphia and Montgomery County.

Kats is an immigration lawyer from Abington and faces a battle against Schwartz, who has a substantial campaign war chest, including funds from EMILY'S List.

Schwartz is tied closely with former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and supported her plan for universal health-care coverage.

Kats does not support that plan because she feels that the only way to fund such health-care programs would be to raise taxes.

Chizeck estimates that Kats will need at least $750,000 between now and the general election.

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"Given Obama's poor showing here in the primary, McCain should do well," he said.

Hillary Clinton handily beat Obama in the Pennsylvania primary after being outspent by the Obama campaign. Clinton won 55 percent of the vote to Obama's 45 percent.

The perception that black voters here will all go for Obama irked one of the partygoers, an African-American woman with a court job who, given her position, could not reveal her name.

"I am tired of people just assuming that just because I'm black that I'm for Obama," she said. "I am voting for McCain."

McCain, already the presumptive nominee at the time of the Pennsylvania GOP primary, beat Ron Paul and Mike Huckabee with 73 percent of the vote.

Wolfe surmised that Clinton would have had a better chance of beating McCain here and that McCain's chances in Pennsylvania have widened dramatically with Obama as the nominee.

Clearly, the deck party was McCain territory and Obama catch phrases such as "change" were up for discussion.

"When I go out jogging, I wear my shirt that says 'Obama, Keep the Change,'" said Linda Orr, who is supporting McCain.

(rcpatel@aol.com)