Grudges

by Mary F. Patel

Riding high on the success of winning the Democratic primary for the First District Senate seat, Larry Farnese says he would really like to reach out to his former opponent John Dougherty, business manager of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 98.

Farnese beat Dougherty and Anne Dicker in a three-way primary last month after incumbent Sen. Vincent Fumo, facing a federal trial in the fall, decided not to run for re-election.

Farnese said he has not spoken to Dougherty since the win, and that Dougherty didn't call to congratulate him.

"Even Anne left me a message on election night," says Farnese.

But given the history here, a Farnese/Dougherty makeup session is probably not in the cards.

Farnese was originally going to run against state Rep. Babette Josephs for a second time, but decided to switch and run for Fumo's seat after Local 98 associate Bobby Gormley entered the Josephs race. (Josephs defeated Gormley and Peggy Banaszek in the Democratic primary.)

In the Senate race, Farnese ran cable TV ads that slammed Dougherty, noting that Dougherty's house had been raided by the FBI. "I know we can do better," Farnese stated in the ad.

Fumo campaigned against Dougherty, and some of his allies gave Farnese money.

Now, Farnese says he will consider keeping Fumo workers on his staff, saying he appreciates their constituent-service abilities.

"But I will have considerably less staff then Sen. Fumo," he says.

Fumo headed up several important committees, which required more staff than normal. Should he triumph over Republican John Morley in the general election, Farnese would be low on the totem poll in Harrisburg as a freshman.

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Farnese says he wouldn't be deterred.

"The district has some of the most important neighborhoods in the state," he says. "I have the largest amount of gay and lesbian voters, a very large business district, the airport and the waterfront."

He says he still would like to hear from Dougherty, however. "I respect him and his union," he says.

Dougherty spokesman Frank Keel said Dougherty did not feel the need to comment.

Flying under the radar is the race for state treasurer, in which Democrat Rob McCord will face off with Republican Tom Ellis.

McCord, a venture capitalist from Montgomery County, beat Democratic challengers John Cordisco, the Bucks County Democratic Party chairman; Jennifer Mann, a state rep from Allentown; and Dennis Morrison-Wesley, a former investment salesman from Harrisburg.

Turnout for the race was very high statewide due to the top-of-the-ticket race between presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

McCord spokesman Mark Nevins says McCord did well in the Philly suburbs, including Montgomery, Chester and Delaware counties, while Cordisco, McCord's toughest competitor, took Philly and Bucks. Democratic State Committee delegates didn't endorse a candidate in the race, but Democratic City Committee ward leaders went for Cordisco.

This race is interesting because the seat is open. Robin Weissmann, who was appointed by Gov. Ed Rendell to fill the position after former treasurer Bob Casey Jr. won a U.S. Senate seat in 2006, is not permitted to seek re-election.

Perhaps you're wondering what the state treasurer does.

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The treasurer's responsibility is to receive and disburse state funds, as well as to invest money. He or she is the custodian for all state agencies (totaling $120 billion). The office has a budget of $60 million, and has 520 employees.

Savvy investment experience is important, and Nevins says McCord has it.

"The economy will be a priority for voters this election," says Nevins, who also worked for the Clinton campaign in Pennsylvania.

He says McCord will make prudent investments, clamp down on fraud and help to create jobs by attracting high-tech investors to the state.

Ellis, who was not available for an interview, is a bond lawyer at Ballard. His finance chairman is Arthur Makadon, also of Ballard.

Ellis' biggest challenge may be to convince some Democratic voters to split their ballots and go Republican for local offices after going Democratic at the top of the ticket.

"This is a year for the Democrats," Nevins says.

Ellis comes well-funded; he is former chair of the Montgomery County Commissioners and has many Democratic friends.

(rcpatel@aol.com)