OFF & RUNNING
State Reps. Vitali & Davidson both seeking nod for Congress
Two late newcomers are joining the crowded field of Democrats seeking nomination for the 5th Congressional District covering Delaware County and parts of Philadelphia and Montco.
State Reps. Greg Vitali, D-166 of Havertown, and Margo Davidson, D-164 of Upper Darby, will be among the ever-growing list of contenders hoping to get voters to sign petitions in the runup to a March 20 filing date for Congress.
Vitali previously put his hat in the ring in January, only to decide in February that he would instead run for re-election in the state House. Vitali now says he has changed his mind again and is looking to make a Congressional bid while simultaneously running for re-election in the 166th Legislative District.
“A number of things have changed,” Vitali said Friday. “One, I’ve received overwhelming support and encouragement from my constituents to run, and beyond my constituents, just other people whose opinion I respect.”
Vitali, who had originally planned to run in the now defunct 7th Congressional District, also said the new 5th District seat as laid out by the state Supreme Court is more competitive.
“I think it’s a fair, balanced seat,” he said. “I’ve been wanting to run for Congress for many years, but did not want to run in a non-competitive seat. … I’m ready to move forward. I think that I’m very well qualified and I can hit the ground running. I know precisely what I want to do from a policy perspective, I understand the legislative process and I understand what my role will be in that legislative process.”
Vitali, well known over his 27 years in office as a proponent of environmental issues, said that would also be his main focus in Washington, D.C. He noted that he has also received high marks from progressive causes and organizations for his votes on other issues, such as gun control, women’s reproductive rights and “brick-and-mortar” public education.
The decision to run at this late stage, however, has ruffled some feathers. Three other Democrats were planning to run for the 166th Legislative District Seat when Vitali originally indicated he would run for Congress, all of whom backed off when he decided not to do so and have now missed a deadline to file nominating petitions.
One of those, Haverford school teacher and Opioid Crisis Action Network founder Larry Arata, who was Vitali’s campaign manager in 1992 and campaign chair in 1994, called the move “a betrayal of our friendship.”
Arata, also a longtime environmental activist and another Congressional contender, said Vitali previously told him he would back him for the 166th Legislative District and later for the 5th Congressional District seat. When Arata pressed Vitali for when he decided to run for Congress, he said his friend of 29 years evaded the question.
Arata said he put together a campaign piece from his point of view, which he sent to Vitali the next day asking if he really wanted it to be released.
“I said, ‘This is beneath you, you have a reputation as a man of integrity, as a man that’s a different kind of politician, and you’re destroying your own reputation, is this really worth it?’” said Arata. “I said, ‘this is going to impact a lot of relationships, not just ours.’ … He said, ‘Do what you want to do, we’re done, don’t contact me anymore.’”
Vitali did not want to discuss the situation Friday, saying only that he changed his mind.
“And I certainly understand why people who based their decisions on my decisions are upset, but I simply changed my mind,” he said.
Vitali added that this has been the most unusual congressional race in recent memory, with shifting district lines that are still under challenge by Republicans at the U.S. Supreme Court and Middle District of Pennsylvania, as well as two incumbents in southeastern Pennsylvania bowing out.
“Because of the changing of the lines and the changing of the candidates, it’s been an extremely difficult environment in which to make a decision, especially for those of us who have other elected offices that would be in jeopardy,” Vitali said.
Davidson has been fairly quiet about her own plans to run until recently, but has put up a web page seeking donations and will have a kick-off event today at Keya Graves in Darby.
“At a time when rightwing Trump Republicans are trying to gut social security and Medicare, roll back Obamacare, and cut funding from our schools, we need strong, progressive leaders who are willing to stand up to the Trump agenda and fight to defend our values,” said Davidson in a statement Friday. “I’m running to be our next congresswoman so I can protect our kids and our seniors, expand opportunity
State Reps. Greg Vitali, D-166 of Havertown, and Margo Davidson, D-164 of Upper Darby, will be among the ever-growing list of contenders hoping to get voters to sign petitions in the runup to a March 20 filing date for Congress.
for women and working families. I have been fighting and winning for our communities my whole life, I am battle tested and ready on day one.”
Davidson will also simultaneously be running for a fifth term in the 164th District, where she faces a primary election challenge from Lauren Footman of Yeadon.
Davidson, the endorsed candidate, was first elected in 2011 and currently sits on the House Commerce, Consumer Affairs, Finance, Insurance and Professional Licensure committees, as well as the Committee on Committees.
A former radio broadcaster, she holds a bachelor of the arts degree in communications from Temple University and a master of business administration from Saint Joseph University.
Davidson has recently been involved in two traffic accidents, one of which was described by police as a “hit-and-run,” while the other sent both drivers to the hospital. She is scheduled for a summary trial March 23 in Radnor Township Magisterial District Court to resolve several traffic citations.
One person close to her campaign said Friday that voters are likely to place less weight on Davidson’s driving record than they are her work in Harrisburg and issues that hit closer to home, like good jobs and good schools, when they go to the polls May 15.
Davidson, the first woman, first African American and first Democrat to hold office in the 164th, is expected to reveal more of her platform as the campaign progresses over the next few weeks.
Other Democrats running for the 5th Congressional District include Philadelphia’s former Deputy Mayor of Labor Rich Lazer; attorney Mary Gay Scanlon of Swarthmore; former Morgan Stanley wealth manager Lindy Li of Malvern; attorney Dan Muroff of Media; scientist Dr. Molly Sheehan of South Philadelphia; former CIA officer Shelly Chauncey of Glen Mills; Chester Mayor Thaddeus Kirkland; entrepreneur and journalist David Wertine of Haverford; attorney and consultant Dan Boyle; political science professor Mary Ellen Balchunis of Ardmore; and George Badey, chairman of Radnor Township’s Democratic Committee.
Republicans seeking the seat are U.S. Navy veteran and volunteer firefighter Joe Billie, of Aston; attorney Jeremy H. Gonzalez Ibrahim of Chester County; former state Attorney General Senior Deputy Counsel Pearl Kim of Radnor; tax attorney Greg McCauley of Chadds Ford; former Assistant U.S. Attorney Clare Putnam Pozos of Radnor; Haverford developer Wally Smerconish; and Radnor Commissioner Richard Booker.