Ward leaders back
challenger in 179th

Ward leaders have endorsed a lifelong Frankford resident and community activist to challenge state Rep. Tony Payton in the April 22 Democratic primary.
Guy Lewis, a registered nurse at Temple University Hospital, won the nod over the incumbent during a meeting on Saturday at the Seaport Inn restaurant in Lawndale.
The challenger earned the backing of ward leaders Dan Savage (23rd), Bill Dolbow (35th) and Marge Tartaglione (62nd).
Payton was supported by ward leaders Elaine Tomlin (42nd), Tom Logan (43rd) and Shirley Gregory (49th).
Lewis captured the official endorsement because the wards backing him have more divisions in the district.
"Guy Lewis has a proven track record of public service in the community," said Savage, a former city councilman. "I think he’ll be a great leader for the 179th."
Payton was elected in 2006 to replace Democratic Rep. Bill Rieger, who was retiring after 40 years in office. The district includes portions of Oxford Circle, Northwood and Frankford.
Four candidates filed to run in the primary, including Payton and endorsed candidate Emilio Vazquez. Three candidates had their names removed from the ballot for various reasons, leaving only Payton in the race.
Ward leaders engineered a write-in effort for Vazquez, who appeared to lose a narrow race. But a Common Pleas Court judge gave him an apparent victory by allowing 52 votes that were mistakenly written in for the post of committeeman.
However, Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court overturned that decision, and the state Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal. Payton won the primary by 19 votes and easily defeated his Republican opponent in the fall.
Payton said he lost the endorsement over the weekend because of "petty personal politics of the past."
"I find it unfortunate that the endorsement process disregards policy ideas, legislative accomplishment and commitment to district residents," he said. "If this were about the issues, I am confident that I would have received the endorsement."
Payton has the backing of Gov. Ed Rendell, who also endorsed Maria Quinones-Sanchez last year in her successful primary challenge to Savage in the 7th Councilmanic District.
Lewis served in the United States Army Reserve’s Nurse Corps during the Persian Gulf War. He’s worked as a nurse at Temple since 1991.
In the community, he has produced the annual Black History Month celebration for 16 years. He’s taught CPR to church groups and day care center staff, trained Scouts in first aid and coached basketball at the Northeast Boys & Girls Club. ••