Who’s on the Bob Casey Jr. bandwagon? In a close and vicious race for the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion, battle lines have been drawn and redrawn.

A number of former Ed Rendell supporters have gone over to the Casey side in the name of good government, they say.

The most glaring example, Donna Gentile O’Donnell, the former deputy health commissioner in the Rendell administration, is Casey's southeastern political director. A few weeks ago, she helped organize a luncheon for the Democratic Women of Philadelphia (DWP) in honor of Casey at Dante and Luigi's. DWP is a fundraising arm of Democratic City Committee and has not made any endorsements. Rendell or a proxy is due at their next meeting, and they expect lunch. Democratic City Committee Chairman and U.S. Rep. Bob Brady is supporting Rendell, but asked for an open primary for Democrats. State Sen. Vincent Fumo, a staunch Casey supporter, paid for the Casey lunch.

Gentile O'Donnell, who is married to former state Speaker of the House Bob O'Donnell, left her post in 1999 to run for a City Council at-large seat, but she lost despite having good numbers.

Rendell supported her candidacy both financially and by campaigning for her. Gentile O'Donnell returned to her position in Rendell's administration after she lost the Democratic primary and is now the managing director of the Eastern Technology Council, an organization that serves leaders of technology-oriented companies and which counts Fumo as one of its biggest supporters.

"Bob Casey is the only Democratic candidate that goes the distance in the primary and the general," said Gentile O'Donnell.

Dan Fee, Rendell's spokesman said, "We're sorry she made the wrong decision; she was a friend and will be a friend again after we win."

There are as many as 19 ward leaders in the Northeast and eight in South Philadelphia supporting Casey, but the actual count is unclear since things could change. There are 69 Democratic ward leaders.

In December 2000, register of wills and ward leader Ron Donatucci was the first Philadelphia ward leader to openly support Casey, and he hosted a fundraiser and party for him at the Eighth Floor. His political secretary, Angela Cinquino, is the president of DWP.

The progressive black ward leaders known as the Pete Truman Group (PTG) are expected to make their endorsements shortly. Truman is now a consultant. He was a state House member, a former clerk of quarter sessions and a former ward leader, and, although he lives in New Jersey, still has influence over Philly elections.

Fumo is hosting a dinner for ward leaders supporting Casey at La Veranda on Thursday night, where Casey's new commercials will be aired.

"It's not that they think Casey is so great, it's just that they want to go with who they think will win," said one ward leader in Truman's group who asked not to be named.

Rendell could be schmoozy with ward leaders when he wanted to be, but basically operated independently.

Some City Hall ward leaders are still mad at Rendell for taking away some of their holidays, such as Flag Day, Veterans Day and the all-important Easter Monday.

It was rumored that U.S. Rep. Joe Hoeffel, who came out publicly to endorse Rendell along with Brady and colleagues Chaka Fattah and Bob Borski, had jumped over to Casey.

Hoeffel's political director Tim Briggs said that Hoeffel was still with Rendell and intended to campaign with him out in his district of Montgomery County.

And then there was talk that Democratic New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey was going out stomping for Casey.

"I don't think that Jim is supporting anyone right now," said Bob Feldman, the finance director for Casey and the former co-finance chair for McGreevey.

Park Re-Place

What’s hot now is the retirement of two prominent commissioners on the Fairmount Park Commission (FPC). Commission President “Fitz” Eugene Dixon and commission member Ernesta Ballard are not seeking re-election, thus leaving two openings.

The Fairmount Park Commission has 16 members, 10 of whom are citizens appointed to five-year terms by the Board of Judges of Common Pleas Court. The other six members are ex officio. They are the mayor, City Council president, commissioner of public property, recreation commissioner, Water Department commissioner and the Department of Streets. However, this group sends representatives from its offices.

FPC's mission is to preserve and protect the open spaces in the nation's largest park, which includes all the parks and squares in the city.

There are as many as 144 applications sent to President Judge of Common Pleas Court Frederica A. Massiah-Jackson.

Word is that the next president will be Robert N.C. Nix III, a lawyer with Obermayer.

Members consider Ballard a loss for the Commission. She is credited for her fundraising efforts for the Fairmount Water Works projects and for restoring the Swann Fountain at Logan Circle.