He hopes voters will say
‘you’re hired’ in ’06

By Tom Waring
Times Staff Writer

A former reality television star appears to be emerging as the top Republican challenger to U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz.
Raj Bhakta, who appeared on NBC’s The Apprentice 2, is seeking backing to run next year against the freshman Democrat in the 13th Congressional District.
"I’ve always had an interest in public office," he said.
Many Republicans were hoping that Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce Castor would run, but he decided against making a bid.
Besides Bhakta, others seeking the party nod are Greater Northeast Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce president Al Taubenberger and attorney Marina Kats.
Bhakta, a 29-year-old Blue Bell native who lives in Fort Washington, has already met with party bosses Vito Canuso of the Republican City Committee and Ken Davis of the Montgomery County Republican Committee. Last week, he traveled to Washington, D.C., to speak with officials of the National Republican Congressional Committee.
The Republican hopeful knows he’ll have to raise a lot of money to contend with the well-funded Schwartz.
"This is a very, very expensive race," he said.
Schwartz was elected in 2004, beating Republican Melissa Brown 56 percent to 41 percent in a four-way race in a district that includes urban, suburban and rural areas.
Bhakta, who describes himself as a fiscal conservative and social moderate, hopes to do well in heavily Republican areas of western Montgomery County and to hold on to the party base in the eastern part of the county, which is trending Democratic.
The candidate sees the Northeast as a key to the election. He has ties to the area, having worked at his father’s car dealership in Mayfair. He also has relatives who have lived in the Northeast.
"It’s Democratic by registration, but it can go Republican," he said.
On Apprentice, Bhakta was a colorful character, usually wearing a bow tie. After being fired by Donald Trump, he asked Robin, the wealthy businessman’s receptionist, for her phone number.
Bhakta, who’ll consider asking Trump and his other Apprentice pals for help in the campaign, said he’s wanted to run for office since he was 5 years old.
The son of an Indian father and an Irish-Catholic mother who was born in England, he loves the United States. In fact, he engaged in a fistfight in third grade with a classmate who had just moved from Canada who claimed that the Soviet Union could defeat our nation in a war.
Today, Bhakta is managing partner for a real estate company and president of a firm that offers technology solutions for car companies.
Bhakta said he’s thoughtful, passionate and knowledgeable on issues, cares about the long-term interests of the country and will listen to what’s on the minds of voters.
His views on immigration, tort reform, campaign finance reform, Social Security and other issues can be found at www.advancerepublic.org
Canuso, head of the Philadelphia GOP, said a search committee will endorse a congressional candidate sometime after the Nov. 8 election. He believes Bhakta is a strong contender.
"It’s too early to tell, but I think he has a good shot at it," he said.
Taubenberger, who lost the primary in 2002 and ’04, said he will run only if he gets the party endorsement. He calls himself a loyal Republican who stumped hard for Brown in the general election. He’s fared respectably in both races despite having little money and would like the chance to run a campaign with party funding.
A conservative, Taubenberger thinks he’d be a better contrast to Schwartz than the more moderate Bhakta and Kats.
"There’s a great deal of difference between me and the incumbent," he said.
Kats, who was born in Ukraine, had been considering a run in the 174th Legislative District. A special election will be held next year if eight-term Democratic Rep. Alan Butkovitz is elected city controller this fall.
Now, Kats — who has homes in the Northeast and Montgomery County — is focusing on the congressional race.
Besides her law practice, she serves as president of the local Russian-American Chamber of Commerce. Proud of not being a career politician, she wants to serve in Congress because she loves the United States and the freedom it offers.
"I’ll put my heart and soul into the job," she said. "I’ll work very, very, very hard." ••
Reporter Tom Waring can be reached at 215-354-3034 or twaring@phillynews.com