Costello has the
party behind him

Campaign Bits
By Tom Waring

Rich Costello will have party backing over Tim Kearney in their battle for the Democratic nomination in the 172nd Legislative District.
Costello, a Holmesburg resident and former president of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5, won the endorsement at a recent meeting of ward leaders at Guido’s Ristorante Italiano.
Six of the seven ward leaders in the district voted for Costello. Lorri Bednarek, of the 64th Ward, abstained because she had not spoken to Costello before the meeting. She is no fan of Kearney’s.
The ward leaders invited Costello to the meeting, but not his opponent.
"I didn’t know a thing about it," Kearney said.
Kearney will stay in the race, declaring that he is "by far" the better candidate. He supports a bill that would provide universal healthcare across the state and opposes Fox Chase Cancer Center’s expansion into Burholme Park. He’s planning a fund-raiser on March 8 at the park pavilion for court costs to defend a will that specified that the park is for the people of Philadelphia.
The winner of the primary will face the Republican nominee, either incumbent Rep. John Perzel or challenger John McDermott.
Kearney, a Mayfair resident who lost bids for the seat in 2004 and ‘06, believes he deserves the nod because Costello is a former Republican who has supported Perzel in the past. He also contends that Costello was asked to run by state House Speaker Dennis O’Brien, a Republican and longtime Perzel foe.
Costello argues that he no longer supports Perzel because he believes the incumbent is focusing too much on returning to his former post as speaker.
The House Democratic Campaign Committee, specifically Reps. Josh Shapiro and Todd Eachus, asked him to run, not O’Brien. In fact, he added, O’Brien in the past has tried to get him to return to the GOP.
Kearney criticizes Costello for heading an FOP that, in his opinion, did not represent all police officers. He notes the existence of the Guardian Civic League, a group consisting of black police officers.
In Kearney’s view, Costello should have united the union instead of preserving a chasm.
Costello described the claim as "mindless," adding that he worked closely with the Guardian Civic League and other religious and ethnic organizations such as the Emerald Society for Irish officers and Shomrim for Jewish officers
As for specific issues, Costello wants to focus on gun violence and health care. He became involved in FOP politics in the 1970s because he said the union had a poor health plan. By the time he left office in 2002, he said, Lodge 5 had the best coverage in the country.
"Mr. Kearney has run twice and lost twice, and unless he’s going for the hat trick, I think I’m the stronger candidate," he said.

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U.S. Rep. Bob Brady (D-1st dist.) last week endorsed Guy Lewis, who is challenging state Rep. Tony Payton (D-179th dist.) in the primary.
Brady made the announcement at the Oxford Circle home of City Commissioner Marge Tartaglione during the weekly 62nd Ward Democratic Committee meeting.
Tartaglione and fellow ward leaders Dan Savage and Bill Dolbow are supporting Lewis, a nurse from Frankford. State Sen. Tina Tartaglione (D-2nd dist.), the commissioner’s daughter, is also backing Lewis.

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Supporters of Lewis and Payton, meanwhile, are challenging one another’s nominating petitions.
The Payton camp is seeking to determine if Lewis was not registered as a Democrat when he circulated his petitions.
However, the city commissioners’ voter registration division has certified that Lewis has been a Democrat since Oct. 9, 2007.
Lewis partisans are challenging about 1,200 Payton signatures. They claim that many of the signatures are altered or forged, illegible, printed and from abandoned houses. Others are from Republicans, independents, unregistered voters and dead people.
Interestingly, Payton signed his name four times — on Jan. 23, Jan. 25, Feb. 7 and Feb. 11.
A hearing in Commonwealth Court is scheduled for Friday, and several people intend to testify that their signatures were forged or that they signed only after being told the form was for a scholarship.
According to a count by the Lewis campaign, Payton has only 240 valid signatures, 60 fewer than the minimum required.
Other candidates being challenged include John McDermott, the primary challenger to state Rep. John Perzel (R-172nd dist.); Harry Enggasser, the Democratic challenger to state Rep. John Taylor (R-177th dist.); and Joe Montone, a Republican taking on party-endorsed Tom Manion in the GOP primary in the 8th Congressional District.

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March 24 is the deadline to register to vote in the April 22 primary election.
All registered votes have until April 15 to apply for an absentee ballot. Completed ballots must be returned by April 18.
Poll workers will check the identification of all first-time voters and those voting for the first time in a new location.
For a voter registration form or absentee ballot application, visit Room 142 of City Hall or call 215-686-3469 or 215-686-3943. Or, go to dos.state.pa.us/voting

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Several local candidates running in the April 22 primary will discuss their campaigns on a weekly radio show hosted by Bell’s Corner resident Marvin Barrish.
The show can be heard on Sundays on WNJC (1360 AM).
Kearney. a Democratic candidate in the 172nd district, will be interviewed on March 2 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Lewis, the challenger in the 179th district, will appear on March 16 from 6 to 6:30 p.m. The incumbent, Payton, will be on from 5:30 to 6 p.m. on April 20.
Belinda Nelson, the Republican challenger to state Rep. Mike McGeehan (D-173rd dist.), will be the guest on March 30 from 6 to 6:30 p.m.
Marina Kats, a Republican candidate in the 13th Congressional District, has the microphone on April 13 from 6 to 6:30 p.m.
Here are the rest of the guests in the 5:30 to 6 p.m. time slot: Larry Farnese, a Democratic candidate in the 1st Senatorial District (March 9, 16, 23, 30); Byron Davis, the Democratic primary challenger to state Rep. Rosita Youngblood (April 6); and state Rep. Babette Josephs (April 13).
The other guests in the 6 to 6:30 p.m. slot are: Wally Zimolong, the Republican candidate in the 182nd Legislative District (March 9); Tim Radtke, a Mayfair resident and candidate for Republican State Committee (March 23); Peggy Banaszek, a Democratic candidate in the 182nd district (April 6); and Jim Kernaghan, the Republican candidate in the 195th Legislative District (April 20).
Jack Morley, the Republican candidate in the 1st Senatorial District, will be on from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on April 27.
On May 4, former at-large City Council candidate David Oh will appear from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
To call the show, dial 1-856-227-1360 or 1-856-232-7077. To listen online, visit www.wnjc1360.com and click "Listen now." ••
Reporter Tom Waring can be reached at 215-354-3034 or twaring@phillynews.com