Delaware County Democrats filed a full slate of candidates for this year's elections with record numbers of signatures. Filing early before the third weekend was retired Admiral Joe Sestak, our 7th Congressional District candidate who filed over 3100 signatures (the most ever filed by a challenger to Weldon) and two of our legislative candidates - State Representative Greg Vitali and 163rd challenger Marie DeYoung (both of whom filed 700+ signatures).
In the 161st, Brian Lentz filed 800 signatures and all our other challengers filed over 400 signatures for the first time in recent memory: Shawn Diggory in the 160th; Marilyn Woodman in the 162nd; Casey Roncaglione in the 164th; Larry Healy in the 165th; and Fred Dewey in the 168th. Incumbent State Rep. Thaddeus Kirkland in the 159th filed more than enough signatures to qualify for the ballot as did State Reps Ron Waters (191) and Robert Donatucci (185).
State Senator Anthony Williams filed and is unopposed in the primary and the general election. Congressman Robert A. Brady also is unopposed for re-election in the primary and general election. All our other candidates face Republicans in the fall. Donatucci and DeYoung have primary challenges, if their opponents' petitions hold up.
On the local level we have a record number of 427 (unofficial count) filed candidates for county committee.
At the statewide level, Governor Ed Rendell filed over 55,000 signatures, of which almost 3,000 were provided by Delaware County Democrats. In the US Senate contest, all three candidates filed: Bob Casey, Chuck Pennachio and Alan Sandals. The Delaware County Democratic Committee endorsed Casey by a 75% vote at the February 14th county convention.
In the Lt Governor's race, incumbent Catherine Baker Knoll and challenger Valerie McDonald Roberts filed petitions as did former Congressman Joe Hoeffel, who announced his withdrawal from the contest at the request of the Governor. The county convention referred the matter of an endorsement in that race to the county Leaders Council, which will decide on April 6th whether to make an endorsement.
This was our most successful and participatory petition drive. With some 400 circulators we garnered record numbers for every candidacy and by every measurement. This petition drive continues our increasing gains as a political party organization and augurs well for our candidates in the November election, said County Chairman Cliff Wilson. We collected these numbers without an army of county employees or patronage job-holders. This drive was all volunteer from distribution to collection to filing.