A new poll shows the Republican candidates for Montgomery County commissioner keeping county government in GOP hands for another four years. But voter registration numbers show the Democratic Party making inroads in what had been a Republican stronghold.
First the good news for Montgomery County Republicans.
A Newhouse/Public Opinion Strategies poll has the Republican candidates for Montgomery County commissioner rising, while their Democratic challengers are sinking.
The poll shows Republican Bruce L. Castor Jr., the Montgomery County district attorney, leading the pack with 52 percent, followed by Joe Hoeffel, a former Congressman, at 44 percent. The big news is the rise of Jim Matthews, an incumbent Montgomery County commissioner. Matthews, at 43 percent, has pulled to within one percentage point of Hoeffel. Trailing the field is incumbent Ruth Damsker, with 34 percent.
This is a much-watched race that could set the stage for the 2008 presidential race. Whoever wins Southeastern Pennsylvania will win Pennsylvania. And whoever wins Pennsylvania could be the next president of the United States. Having control of county government is essential for political parties.
If the poll numbers carry through Election Day, the commissioners' board will consist of Castor, Matthews and Hoeffel, with the two Republicans holding the majority.
The recent criminal charges filed against the campaign manager for Hoeffel and Damsker may have something to do with the Democrats' falling popularity.
Joanne C. Olszewski, a county party leader and co-chair of the Hoeffel-Damsker campaign, recently resigned as Montgomery County jury commissioner when she was implicated in an illegal video machine gambling probe. Olszewski quit the Hoeffel-Damsker campaign, but she is holding on to her county party post.
An earlier Newhouse poll had Matthews ahead of Damsker by six percentage points. He's now pulled ahead by nine points and could overtake Hoeffel to finish in second place.
That would leave Hoeffel and Damsker to battle it out for the final seat.
In addition to the bad publicity the Hoeffel-Damsker team has received, voters may also be realizing how expensive things will get if the liberal Democrats take control of county government.
According to veteran Montgomery County Courthouse reporter Margaret Gibbons of the Norristown Times-Herald, Hoeffel-Damkser have proposed more than $100 million in new spending during their campaign. Somebody has to pay for all the growth in government. Taxpayers are in no mood to pay more taxes.
Although the Hoeffel-Damsker team doesn't appear to be catching fire, Democrats are doing a much better job of attracting voters than their GOP counterparts.
Of the 6,992 newly registered voters since the May primary elections, 3,208 registered as Democrats, while 1,958 registered Republican, according to The Times Herald in Norrstown.
That pattern has been repeated in Montgomery County for most of the past decade.
The number of registered Republicans in Montgomery County is 247,766, compared to 217,052 Democrats.
Montgomery County GOP Chairman Ken Davis could offer no explanation for the continuing resurgence of the Democratic Party under his watch other than to blame President Bush.
"We will have to live with this for another year," Davis told The Times Herald.
Davis is in his third year as party chairman. He told the newspaper he needs more time to turn things around. A few more years under Davis' leadership and the Republican Party will be the minority party in the county. There was no mention in The Times Herald article of Bob Asher, who pulls Davis' strings.
Read the full story by reporter Margaret Gibbons at the newspaper's Web site, www.timesherald.com
First the good news for Montgomery County Republicans.
A Newhouse/Public Opinion Strategies poll has the Republican candidates for Montgomery County commissioner rising, while their Democratic challengers are sinking.
The poll shows Republican Bruce L. Castor Jr., the Montgomery County district attorney, leading the pack with 52 percent, followed by Joe Hoeffel, a former Congressman, at 44 percent. The big news is the rise of Jim Matthews, an incumbent Montgomery County commissioner. Matthews, at 43 percent, has pulled to within one percentage point of Hoeffel. Trailing the field is incumbent Ruth Damsker, with 34 percent.
This is a much-watched race that could set the stage for the 2008 presidential race. Whoever wins Southeastern Pennsylvania will win Pennsylvania. And whoever wins Pennsylvania could be the next president of the United States. Having control of county government is essential for political parties.
If the poll numbers carry through Election Day, the commissioners' board will consist of Castor, Matthews and Hoeffel, with the two Republicans holding the majority.
The recent criminal charges filed against the campaign manager for Hoeffel and Damsker may have something to do with the Democrats' falling popularity.
Joanne C. Olszewski, a county party leader and co-chair of the Hoeffel-Damsker campaign, recently resigned as Montgomery County jury commissioner when she was implicated in an illegal video machine gambling probe. Olszewski quit the Hoeffel-Damsker campaign, but she is holding on to her county party post.
An earlier Newhouse poll had Matthews ahead of Damsker by six percentage points. He's now pulled ahead by nine points and could overtake Hoeffel to finish in second place.
That would leave Hoeffel and Damsker to battle it out for the final seat.
In addition to the bad publicity the Hoeffel-Damsker team has received, voters may also be realizing how expensive things will get if the liberal Democrats take control of county government.
According to veteran Montgomery County Courthouse reporter Margaret Gibbons of the Norristown Times-Herald, Hoeffel-Damkser have proposed more than $100 million in new spending during their campaign. Somebody has to pay for all the growth in government. Taxpayers are in no mood to pay more taxes.
Although the Hoeffel-Damsker team doesn't appear to be catching fire, Democrats are doing a much better job of attracting voters than their GOP counterparts.
Of the 6,992 newly registered voters since the May primary elections, 3,208 registered as Democrats, while 1,958 registered Republican, according to The Times Herald in Norrstown.
That pattern has been repeated in Montgomery County for most of the past decade.
The number of registered Republicans in Montgomery County is 247,766, compared to 217,052 Democrats.
Montgomery County GOP Chairman Ken Davis could offer no explanation for the continuing resurgence of the Democratic Party under his watch other than to blame President Bush.
"We will have to live with this for another year," Davis told The Times Herald.
Davis is in his third year as party chairman. He told the newspaper he needs more time to turn things around. A few more years under Davis' leadership and the Republican Party will be the minority party in the county. There was no mention in The Times Herald article of Bob Asher, who pulls Davis' strings.
Read the full story by reporter Margaret Gibbons at the newspaper's Web site, www.timesherald.com
Tony Phyrillas
Tony Phyrillas is a columnist for The Mercury in Pottstown, Pa. He received a first place award for Best Opinion Column in 2007 by Suburban Newspapers of America. He was also honored for column writing in 2006 by the Society of Professional Journalists.
Copyright © 2005-2007, THE CENTRIST Blog; All Rights Reserved.
Tony Phyrillas is a columnist for The Mercury in Pottstown, Pa. He received a first place award for Best Opinion Column in 2007 by Suburban Newspapers of America. He was also honored for column writing in 2006 by the Society of Professional Journalists.
Copyright © 2005-2007, THE CENTRIST Blog; All Rights Reserved.
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