Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Potential rivals aim for shot at Meehan’s seat
Sean Gale, brother of Republican Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Gale, announced Thursday that he is exploring a run as a Republican candidate in Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District.
The seat has been held by beleaguered Republican Pat Meehan since 2012, but the incumbent announced Thursday night he would not seek re-election in the wake of revelations that he used Congressional budget funds to settle a sexual harassment claim from a former staff member.
On Thursday, the influential Cook Political Report — which had rated the race “leans Republican” — downgraded Meehan’s reelection chances to “toss up.”
Gale, 26, of Plymouth Meeting, said in a release announcing the formation of an exploratory committee Monday that residents of the 7th District deserve a representative who is “focused on the lives of the American people, not fixated on their own sex life.”
Aping language from President Donald Trump, Gale referred to Meehan as “scum from the Washington swamp and a hypocrite,” noting the congressman and former Delco District Attorney sat on the House Ethics Committee in charge of investigating sexual harassment claims before his removal from that committee Saturday.
“This, of course, is the same man who called for Donald Trump to drop his presidential bid when the ‘Access Hollywood’ tapes were released,” said Gale, a staunch Trump supporter. “Such two-faced grandstanding is the epitome of phoniness and self-righteousness.”
It was a sentiment shared at rallies urging Meehan to relinquish his seat Thursday outside Delco district offices.
Gale previously chaired and managed his brother’s county commissioner campaign and orchestrated Republican Stan Casacio’s
unsuccessful 2016 primary election challenge for the 7th District seat, according to the release.
Meehan handily beat back that challenge with 76 percent of the vote. He said earlier this week that he is not
stepping down and still plans to seek re-election in 2018.
The district, which Democrat Hillary Clinton narrowly clinched in the 2016 presidential election, may be a hard win for Republicans this time around for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the decision by state Supreme Court this week that Pennsylvania’s congressional boundaries
violate the state constitution and need to be redrawn.
The 7th District, which includes most of Delaware County along with portions of Chester, Montgomery, Berks, and Lancaster counties, has been described as “Goofy kicking Donald” for its odd shape and is considered one of the most gerrymandered in the country.
Gov. Tom Wolf and the
state Legislature have until Feb. 15 to agree on a new map, or the matter will return to the Supreme Court. Depending on the shape of that map, Republicans may decide to cede the 7th District and shore up GOP support in neighboring districts.
Gale would join U.S. Navy veteran and longtime volunteer firefighter Joe Billie on the ballot for the Republican
primary if he does jump into the race.
Democrat Shelly Chauncey, a former Central Intelligence Agency counter-intelligence officer, announced her candidacy for the 7th District Monday. The other Democrats looking to unseat Meehan are attorney Dan Muroff, bioengineer Molly Sheehan, Realtor Elizabeth Moro and information
technology consultant Drew McGinty.
State Rep. Daylin Leach, D-17, of Lower Merion, suspended his campaign for the 7th District following allegations that he either inappropriately touched women or made sexually charged jokes that left some feeling uncomfortable, but has not officially withdrawn from the race.