As a spin-off, he then organized the Philadelphia Leadership Project, a gathering of civic-minded young people that aims to change the incestuous climate of City Hall deal-making. Their first meeting was scheduled for Aug. 9 at a large cocktail party at the Vesper boathouse. Kelly, an Air Force Reserve fighter pilot who returned a few months ago from Iraq, planned to outline his frustrations with the city.

"We need poll watchers. There is not enough of a Republican presence and there is voter fraud where people vote multiple times," he said during a recent interview. "We live in a great city that is run by a machine that hands out patronage jobs. There are no ideas and no vision. We could be a first-class city, but we're not because of bad leadership."

Kelly added that the Republicans are part of the problem because they accept the status quo as long as they get jobs. "I want to start on the grassroots level and get people involved," he said. "Sunlight is the best antiseptic."

While Republicans in the city have not held power for 50 years, there are some out there. GOP City Committee General Counsel Michael Meehan, whose grandfather Austin, and father, Billy, held the reins of power when the Republicans had control, disagrees with Kelly's assessment that Republicans are shadow Democrats.

"Kevin should be recruiting committee people and candidates rather than hosting wine-and-cheese parties," said Michael Meehan during an interview from his office at Wolf Block. "The Republican Party is not going to gain power overnight. It takes time — and that time will come."

Meehan said the perception that he works with U.S. Rep. and Democratic Party Chairman Bob Brady is correct; the two of them get along and often cooperate. "I will work with anyone to move this city forward," Meehan explained.

Meehan agreed that voter fraud has been, and could again be, a problem since it is not required to show ID when voters appear at the polls. "This is one issue that the far right and far left agree on," he said.

The theory that maintains local Democrats and Republicans are similar may not be too far off and Meehan pointed out that many well-known Democrats were once Republicans.

"Frank DiCicco, Joan Krajewski, Russell Nigro and Jonathan Saidel were all Republicans once," said Meehan.

Meanwhile, a Republican with great name recognition and popularity among Democrats is still mulling a mayoral run. City Councilman at-large Frank Rizzo Jr. said he is talking to advisors and will make a decision shortly. Rizzo, the son of the popular mayor, was first elected in 1995 after garnering more votes than incumbent GOP Councilwoman Joan Specter. His office is known for its constituent services.

Meehan said he would look favorably on any elected Republican official that wanted to run for mayor but had not yet had the discussion with Rizzo. "I think he may have some more work he wants to do in City Council," he said.

Still, Rizzo theorizes that he would do well in a crowded Democratic-primary field and would ask his Republi-can supporters to register Democratic for the primary if he ran in that party. "I do very well in the African-American community," he stated. "I would do better than Michael Nutter and Dwight Evans in the primary."

He may be right: In a recent poll conducted for a client of the firm Ceisler Jubelirer, Rizzo polled the highest. Larry Ceisler said he could not reveal the client or the poll questions, but the poll dealt with rating various elected officials in the city.

Speaking of Ceisler Jubelirer, congrats to firm co-principal Jeff Jubelirer and his wife, Tracey, on the birth of daughter Sofie Brett.

(m_patel@citypaper.net)