Pa. GOP settles power struggle; Tabas to be new chair, Comfort to head Trump in Pa.
Pennsylvania’s Republican Party is trying to amicably settle a contested race for chairman between a candidate who had backing from Trump campaign advisers, and a rival.
The deal came together Friday, a day before committee members are to meet amid accusations about sexual harassment of women by Pennsylvania GOP officials.
The party says Bernadette Comfort instead will serve as the Trump campaign’s chairwoman in the presidential battleground state, while the state GOP’s former general counsel, Lawrence Tabas, will be the consensus candidate for state party chairman at Saturday’s meeting.
Andy Reilly, former chair of the Delaware County Republican Party and chairman of Southeast Pa. Republican Caucus, sent a letter to his fellow delegates backing Tabas and indicating his dismay that national forces were flexing their muscles in what was a statewide race.
Comfort was largely seen as the candidate Trump was backing in the race.
Reilly indicated that while he supported Trump on issues such as immigration, he urged delegates to “vote their conscience” for a new chairman, and his conscience led him to back Tabas.
“As the vote nears for the election of a new chair of our state party, some members have asked me for my advice,” Reilly wrote. Here’s what I’ve told them: Vote your conscience.
“And my conscience tells me that Lawrence Tabas is the right choice for Party Chair.
“It disappoints me that someone has invited the Trump team into a contentious, local matter. It’s a no-win proposition for our president.”
Both sides said they had enough votes to win.
Comfort had had backing from top Trump campaign officials, but had been besieged by accusations that she knew about and ignored complaints of sexual harassment by state party officials, accusations she’s denied.