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Incumbent: John Perzel (R)
Challengers: Tim Kearney (D), Kevin Boyle (D), Daniel J. Collins (D), and Joseph Gaynor (R)
John Perzel, the Republican incumbent of this northeast Philadelphia district for the past thirty years and former speaker of the house, enters this election under indictment on 82 counts of corruption. He is accused of spending more than $10 million of taxpayer money on partisan electioneering. His legal troubles have attracted challenges from Democrats Kevin Boyle, Daniel J. Collins, and Tim Kearney. In the Republican primary, Perzel lost the top ballot position to little known candidate Joseph Gaynor.
Among the Democrats, Tim Kearney has the most campaign experience in the district, having run in 2004, 2006, and 2008. Kearney is endorsed by Neighborhood Networks and boasts strong ties to the activist community. Kevin Boyle, a former legislative aide to Philadelphia Councilman William Greenlee (D-at large), is the endorsed candidate of the Democratic Party, and has the unanimous support of the district’s ward leaders. Boyle is the brother of Representative Brendan Boyle, and ran his successful 2008 election campaign in the 170th district. Rounding out the Democratic field is Daniel J. Collins, a public school teacher, basketball coach and lifelong Mayfair resident who is running on his ties to the community.
Incumbent: Michael O’Brien (D)
Challengers: Daryl LaFountain (D) and Louis Schwartz (R)
Representative Michael O’Brien squeaked through a tough three-way Democratic primary in 2006, besting Anne Dicker by only 328 votes. He sailed through the 2008 primary without a challenger, but this year faces former Hillary Clinton staffer Daryl LaFountain. Republican Louis Schwartz will take on the winner in the November general election.
O’Brien’s opposition to the construction of the SugarHouse Casino on North Delaware Avenue has been controversial in a community that is deeply divided on the issue. This election will be the first test of his support with the voters since being elected to office.
Incumbent: Tony Payton, Jr. (D)
Challengers: Matthew Franchetti (R)
After two tough elections, Representative Tony Payton, Jr. appears to have received a reprieve from the Democratic Party. Payton won his seat in the General Assembly in a contentious 2006 election battle against a party-backed Emilio Vazquez. Payton had successfully sued to knock his opponent off the ballot, but the resulting write-in campaign was so close that it took a decision by the State Supreme Court before Payton could claim victory. In 2008, Payton again beat back the party and their endorsed candidate, Guy Lewis. This year he runs unopposed in the primary and faces Republican Matthew Franchetti in the November general election.
Incumbent: Angel Cruz (D)
Challenger: Jonathan Ramos (D)
Angel Cruz, Pennsylvania’s only Latino representative, is looking to enter his sixth term in the General Assembly. Prior to being elected, Cruz was a union organizer and an aide to Philadelphia Councilman Rick Mariano—who was sentenced to six years in federal prison for accepting bribes. Cruz is also the leader of the city’s 7th ward.
Jonathan Ramos, a former marine and police community relations officer is challenging Cruz. Ramos, who secured the higher ballot position this year, received 45% of the vote in 2008 and is back for a second run.
Incumbent: W. Curtis Thomas (D)
Challenger: Lewis Thomas III (D)
Curtis Thomas is the veteran legislator who has represented this slice of north and north central Philadelphia since 1989; and Lewis Thomas III is the young political organizer challenging him for the Democratic nomination. With both candidates sharing the same last name, less cautious voters could end up voting for the wrong candidate.
Incumbent: Babette Josephs (D)
Challenger: Greg Kravitz (D)
Babette Josephs has represented Center City and south Philadelphia’s 182nd district for the past 25 years and is currently the senior woman legislator in the state house. This veteran lawmaker is no stranger to tough primary elections. In 2006, she narrowly defeated attorney and community activist Larry Farnese by a margin of just 237 votes. She did better in her next election, beating back a pair of primary opponents by safer margins.
This year Josephs faces a primary challenge from Greg Kravitz, an 8th ward committee person who left his career as a successful Wall Street stock trader and returned to his hometown to focus on civic service and political activism.
Incumbent: Kenyatta Johnson (D)
Challengers: Tim Hannah (D) and Dyheim Watson (D)
Kenyatta Johnson is finishing up his first term as representative of Philadelphia’s 186th district, which includes portions of south and southwest Philadelphia. Johnson was a community activist and anti-gun violence campaigner who grew up in the city’s Point Breeze neighborhood.
In 2008, Kenyatta Johnson surprised the political establishment by winning 65% of the vote to defeat veteran legislator Harold James. In this year’s primary, Johnson faces fellow Point Breeze neighborhood activist Tim Hannah and Dyheim Watson, the senior pastor of the New Life Christian Fellowship Church. In 2000, Hannah ran unsuccessfully against U.S. Congressman Robert Brady.
Incumbent: James Roebuck (D)
Challenger: Bryant Brown (D)
James Roebuck has represented west Philadelphia’s 188th district since 1985. He chairs the House Education Committee and sits on the board of PHEAA, the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency. Prior to taking public office, Roebuck was an assistant professor at Drexel University and a legislative assistant to Mayor Wilson Goode. He faces a primary challenge from Bryant Brown, an insurance salesman, arts proponant and Philadelphia native, who spent much of his childhood in the Philadelphia foster care system.
Incumbent: Vanessa Brown (D)
Challengers: Sharif Street (D) and Audrey Blackwell Watson (D)
Freshman representative and former neighborhood activist Vanessa Brown faces two Democratic challengers in the May 18th primary. In 2008, Brown picked up the seat by knocking one-term incumbent Tommy Blackwell off the primary ballot through a court challenge of his nominating petitions. Both Tommy Blackwell and 2010 candidate Audrey Blackwell Watson, are the children of the late U.S. Congressman Lucien Blackwell and the stepchildren of Democratic Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell. Audrey is running for her brother’s old seat in this year’s Democratic primary, but stepmother Jannie is publicly supporting family friend Sharif Street.
Sharif Street is the son of former Mayor John F. Street, and is running with the support of his father and many of his father's political allies, including the aforementioned Jannie Blackwell. A lawyer for Wolf Block Shorr until the firm dissolved in March of 2009, Sharif Street has been splitting his time between private practice and actively campaigning throughout the district.
Incumbent: Louise Bishop (D)
Challenger: Will Mega (D)
Louise Bishop is the most senior African-American woman in the General Assembly and is seeking a 12th term in office. Bishop is also a Baptist minister who is well-known throughout the city as the host of a long-running gospel radio show.
This year, Bishop faces a challenge from Will Mega, a Wynnefield native whose initial claim to fame is as a contestant on the original 2000 season of the Big Brother reality television show. Mega got his start in politics as a volunteer for U.S. Congressman Chaka Fattah and State Senator Vincent Hughes. During the 2004 presidential campaign, he co-founded the National Political Hip Hop Convention and partnered with hip hop mogul P. Ditty (Sean Combs) to organize college students in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. More recently, Mega served as the campaign manager for Kenyatta Johnson in his successful 2008 campaign against veteran legislator Harold James, a victory he hopes to replicate in the 192nd.
Candidates: Lou Agre (D), Joshua Cohen (D), Pam DeLisso (D), Bill Morris (D), Keith Newman (D), Tim Downey (R), and Hugh Giordano (G)
The retirement of Representative Kathy Mandarino, who held her seat for 18 years, has made the 194th district one of two open house seats in the 2010 election. It should be noted that the 194th is an "urban/suburban" district, representing parts of Philadelphia and Montgomerry Counties.
Seven Democrats are vying for the nomination in the May 18th primary. Union organizer, attorney and 21st Ward Leader Lou Agre is the endorsed candidate of the local Democratic City Committee. Other Democrats include Josh Cohen, the 52nd ward committee person and former deputy chief of staff for Councilman Curtis Jones Jr.; Pam DeLisso a former retirement community president, consultant and businesswoman, has the support of the retiring incumbent and the endorsements of the Lower Merion and Montgomery County Democratic committees and the 52nd Ward Executive committee; Bill Morris, a member of Carpenters Local 8 and a youth sports coach; and Keith Newman, a school teacher and neighborhood activist. The Republicans will field candidate Tim Downey and the Green Party has nominated Hugh Giordano for the November general election.
Candidates: Michelle Brownlee (D), Anthony Ingargiola (D), James Kernaghan (R), and Warren Bloom (I)
The sudden retirement of senior legislator Frank Oliver, a 36 year incumbent, triggered a mad scramble of filings and petition gathering as candidates lined up for the open seat. Among the candidates looking to replace Oliver is his longtime chief of staff, Michelle Brownlee. Through a series of lawsuits, Brownlee has been able to knock four of her six initial primary opponents off the ballot, leaving only her and political operative Anthony Ingargiola on the Democratic side of the May 18th primary ballot.
Both candidates have deep ties within the Democratic establishment. Brownlee has been a member of Frank Oliver’s staff since 1974 and boasts strong connections to key players in city and state government. Ingargiola has served as a staffer on Ed Rendell’s 1995 mayor’s race, a senior analyst for the Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority, a staffer for disgraced former City Councilman Rick Mariano, and a political consultant on several high profile local campaigns.
The winner of the Democratic primary will face Republican James Kernaghan, a telecommunications consultant and former law enforcement officer; and Independent American Party Candidate Warren Bloom, host of a leased access cable show on Comcast channel 190.
Incumbent John Myers (D)
Challengers: Michael Ellis (D), Viveca Gresham (D), and Joseph Messa (R)
John Myers has represented northwest Philadelphia's 201st district since 1995. He faces primary challenges from Michael Ellis, a life coach and security company manager, and Viveca Gresham, a former public school teacher. Republican Joseph Messa is unopposed in the Republican primary.