Political parties looking toward primary election
The two major political parties in Chester County are in the process of reviewing candidates for a set of countywide offices, including commissioner, Common Pleas Court judge, and district attorney, although each is going about it in their own fashion.
Those seeking to represent the Democratic Party in the county’s November general election have been attending what are essentially a series of “meet-and-greet” sessions with party advocates and committee people, while those for the same offices on the Republican ticket have been engaged in committee interviews that end with a
tentative, but informal, test of what their support might be at the committee’s nomination convention later this month.
What the two sides have in common, however, is a conviction that the candidates that are ultimately chosen in the May primary are of high quality.
“We have a talented and dedicated slate of candidates running for countywide elected office in 2019,” said Rick Loughery, the new chairman of the Republican Committee of Chester County. “I am confident that the electorate will find our candidates highly qualified.”
Meanwhile, Dick Bingham, the head of the Chester County Democratic Committee, championed the numerous candidates that have started making their cases in committee zone and informational meetings.
“We are looking forward to the election,” he said recently. “We feel that we will have a very strong ticket.”
The positions that are open this year, besides those mentioned above, include county prothonotary, recorder of deeds, register of wills, and sheriff.
Republicans have met three times in the past weeks to convene so-called “dog and pony shows,” at which candidates for the county offices are interviewed by committee members from various regions, who then cast straw votes to give an indication of who has the best support going into the party convention on Feb. 20.
The candidates for Common Pleas judge include five local attorneys. As of the end of last week, Charles “Chuck” Gaza, a county district attorney’s chief of staff, led all the candidates with 102 votes in the straw poll, followed by Andrea Cardamone, a deputy district attorney, with 89 votes; Megan Kampf, a deputy state attorney general, with 71 votes, Louis Mincarelli, a criminal defense attorney, with 56 votes, and Andrew Rongaus, counsel with the Pennsylvania State Police, with 21 votes.
For sheriff, the position being vacated by longtime office holder Carolyn “Bunny” Welsh, the straw vote totals show James Fitzgerald, a retired FBI agent from West Goshen, who leads the current balloting with 104 votes; Collin Meisenhelter, a deputy county sheriff, with 40 votes; John Freas, a former deputy sheriff, with 28 votes; and Brian Yanoviak, a small businessman from Parkesburg, with nine votes.
For recorder of deeds, Amber Little-Turner, a former aide to retired state Rep. Harry Lewis, led the field with 112 votes, followed by Antony Schuibbeo, a deputy sheriff, with 68.
The other offices feature incumbents running unopposed, including Terence Farrell and Michelle Kichline for commissioner; Thomas Hogan for district attorney, and Terri Clark for register of wills.
On the other hand, in the Democratic Party process, candidates have been attending local committee meetings to introduce themselves, but there are no formal or informal polls judging their support prior to the countywide convention on Feb. 19, according to Russ Phifer, the head of the committee’s candidate recruitment and development committee.
The only vetting process the candidates are asked to go through is a background check that would identify any “October surprises” that might appear if they were nominated. Phifer said his committee would advise the party as a whole at the convention who was qualified to run for office and who was not.
In the party quest for election, only three candidates are running unopposed, Deb Ryan for district attorney, Michelle Vaughn for register of wills and Chris Pielli for recorder of deeds. Otherwise, the field is crowded.
There of four candidates for the two commissioners slots: incumbent Kathi Cozzone, seeking her fourth term, Ginny Kerslake of West Whiteland, a local anti-pipeline activist; Josh Maxwell, mayor of Downingtown; and Marian Moskowitz, a Phoenixville businesswoman.
For Common Pleas judge, there are six candidates for the two open seats: Bret Binder, a current magisterial district judge; Matthew Holt, a Tredyffrin supervisor; Dan Maisano, a retired magisterial district judge; Thomas “Tip” McCabe, an attorney in private practice; Alito Rovito, a former Chester County judicial master; and Analisa Sondergaard, another current magisterial district judge.
For sheriff, the candidates include Daniel Boyle, a local attorney, Ken Hopton, a Coatesville deputy state constable; Joseph Lunsford, a current deputy sheriff; Fredda Maddox, a local attorney; and Michael Sarro, a former deputy sheriff.
Finally, for prothonotary, the candidates include Deborah Bookman, a Coatesville city councilwoman; and Joseph Heffern, a local attorney.