Here comes the (second)
Northeast justice

By Tom Waring
Times Staff Writer

Judge Seamus McCaffery made a lot of contacts as he campaigned across Pennsylvania.
Many of those folks contributed to his overwhelming victory in last week’s state Supreme Court race and are already making plans to attend his swearing-in celebration in early January. The guest list will be so large that the party might have to be held at the National Constitution Center.
"It’s pretty incredible and a humbling feeling," McCaffery said of the outpouring of support.
McCaffery, a Superior Court judge from Bustleton, placed first among four candidates for two seats on Supreme Court. His fellow Democrat and Superior Court Judge Debra Todd took second. Republican Maureen Lally-Green, also a Superior Court judge, finished third. Republican Mike Krancer was a distant fourth.
The two newest members will replace Sandra Schultz Newman, who retired, and Russell Nigro, who lost a retention vote in 2005.
When McCaffery leaves Superior Court, Judge Dick Klein will be the only Philadelphian on the 15-member court.
When McCaffery joins the Supreme Court, he’ll see a familiar face — fellow Marine and Northeast resident Ron Castille. A Republican and former district attorney who ran for mayor in 1991, Castille recently moved to Rhawnhurst. He’ll serve as chief justice of the seven-member court, replacing the retiring Ralph Cappy.
Castille and McCaffery will be the only two Supreme Court justices from east of Harrisburg.
McCaffery, who celebrated his victory at Colleen’s on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, appears to have done well among Republican voters, probably because of his background. He was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, spent 20 years as a Philadelphia police officer and earned bachelor’s and law degrees while going to school at night and raising three children.
In 1993, he was elected to Municipal Court. In 2003, he won a seat on Superior Court. He is also a colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserves.
In the campaign, he had support from unions, law enforcement, sportsmen, veterans, motorcyclists and ethnic groups.
The judge, who graduated from Cardinal Dougherty High School in 1968, needed all of that on his resumé to win in a state that favors female candidates from western Pennsylvania.
"You don’t get very many Seamus McCafferys running with my background and support groups," he said.
Todd is from Butler County, and all three winners in the race for Superior Court — Democrat Christine Donohue and Republicans Jackie Shogan and Cheryl Allen — are from Allegheny County. Shogan lost the primary, but was placed back on the ballot by the GOP when another seat opened.
McCaffery won his race easily. He totaled more than 1. 2 million votes, beating Todd by a margin of 147,000.
Among the highlights were wins in Allegheny, Bucks, Delaware and Montgomery counties. He was a strong second to Lally-Green in Chester County and beat out Todd on her home turf in Butler County.
Of course, McCaffery is proud of going from beat cop to Supreme Court, but he’s also glad his parents, Jim and Rita, got to see him reach the state’s top court.
Unlike many judges, McCaffery does not plan to fade away. He wants to make sure the courts are responsive to the public.
"My goal is to be a spokesperson for the courts across Pennsylvania," he said.
Looking back, McCaffery is glad he made the commitment to seek a statewide court seat. He lost a bid for Commonwealth Court, but came back stronger in quests for Superior and Supreme Court seats.
All of those long drives to Erie to speak to 40 people at a picnic paid off.
"If you want something strong enough, you have to set your goals," he said. "That’s what I’ve done." ••
Reporter Tom Waring can be reached at 215-354-3034 or twaring@phillynews.com