Delco GOP chairman Andy Reilly takes state post
PHILADELPHIA >> The Delaware County Republican Party soon will have a new face at the top.
As expected, longtime party chairman Andy Reilly is taking a new job with the state GOP as Southeast Republican Caucus chairman and will relinquish his title as the leader of Delaware County Republicans.
Members of the Pennsylvania Republican State Committee representing the five counties that make up the Southeast Republican Caucus – Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties – convened Monday evening and voted unanimously to elect Reilly, of Middletown as the new chair of the Southeast Republican Caucus.
The vacancy was created when Michael Meehan, who has served as chair of the Southeast Republican Caucus for the past eight years, announced last month that he was stepping down as chair of the caucus to focus on leading the Philadelphia Republican City Committee.
“I thank Michael Meehan for his work and efforts as Southeast Republican Caucus Chair to unify and coordinate the activities of our five different county parties to elect Republican candidates on the local, state, and national levels,” said Reilly, who currently serves as chairman of the Delaware County Republican Party, a position he has held since 2009. “I greatly appreciate the support from our members of the Republican State Committee in Southeastern Pennsylvania and look forward to working with them more closely in the future. Given this new responsibility, I have informed Delaware County’s municipal Republican Party leaders that I intend to transition leadership of the Delaware County Republican Party to another individual.”
The county GOP has been reeling from two successive setbacks in county elections. Last November the party saw Democrats win a countywide election for the first time in decades. Democrats swept both County Council seats and all three county row offices up for grabs.
In the recent midterms election, Republicans got hammered again, losing both the special election in the 7th District U.S. House race, as well as the race to fill the new 5th District seat. Democrat Mary Gay Scanlon swamped Republican Pearl Kim in both races.
The GOP also lost several key races for the state Legislature, including seeking Swarthmore Mayor Tim Kearney knock off incumbent Republican Sen. Tom McGarrigle, R-26 of Springfield. Incumbent state Reps. Jamie Santora, R-163 of Upper Darby, and Alex Charlton, R-165 of Springfield, also lost their races.
Reilly has headed the county GOP since Thomas J. Judge Sr. stepped down from that position in 2009. Judge remains Chairman Emeritus of the party.
For his part, Meehan said he wanted to shift his focus to rebuilding the GOP in Philadelphia.
“I want to focus my efforts on strengthening the Republican Party organization within the city of Philadelphia,” said Meehan, who was elected chairman of the Philadelphia Republican City Committee, the GOP organization in the city, in April 2017 and was reelected in June 2018. “After I was elected chair of the Republican City Committee 18 months ago, I made the decision to begin to transition away from my leadership role with the Southeast Republican Caucus. I am confident that Andy Reilly will do an excellent job as the new caucus chair.”
Meehan previously served as general counsel for the Philadelphia Republican City Committee from September 1994 until April 2017, when he was elected chair of the organization. Meehan earned his undergraduate degree from Villanova University and his juris doctorate from Widener University School of Law.
Reilly will officially take over as caucus chair on Dec. 1.
The bylaws of the Republican Party of Pennsylvania established six regional party caucuses representing different geographic regions of the state. The Southeast Republican Caucus Chair helps to coordinate the activities of the individual county organizations with respect to statewide and regional candidates, assists with fundraising for statewide and regional candidates, and serves as the primary liaison for the region to the state Republican Party.
Reilly is a partner in the Media firm of Swartz Campbell and practices in the area of municipal liability, personal injury, real estate, commercial litigation, municipal law and government relations.
The Delaware County Redevelopment Authority, the Delaware County Economic Development Oversight Board, the Brandywine Conference and Visitors’ Bureau, Township of Aston, Pennsylvania, and the Southern Delaware County Authority are among his clients.
He also represents the Pennsylvania Veterans Museum on a pro bono basis and also serves on the Board of the Delaware River Port Authority and Delaware County Solid Waste Authority.
Reilly served on Delaware County Council from 2000 to 2008, the last two years as its chairman.
Born in the former Sacred Heart Hospital in Chester, the Middletown resident is one of seven children. A Penncrest alum, he played basketball while at the school and has received its Penncrest Distinguished Alumni Award. He was also admitted into the Media Area Sports Hall of Fame.
His first entry into politics began as a member of the Middletown Township Zoning Hearing Board.
Well known for his leadership in Republican politics at the county and state levels, Reilly was one of Pennsylvania’s 20 electors for President Donald Trump in 2016.
He was former chairman of the Delaware County Young Republicans and has served as a state committeeman for years. Currently, he is secretary of the Republican Party of Pennsylvania.
Proud of his 100 percent Irish heritage, Reilly has also been Man of the Year from the Delaware County Friends of St. Patrick.
“I greatly appreciate the support from our members of the Republican State Committee in Southeastern Pennsylvania and look forward to working with them more closely in the future.”
— Andy Reilly