NE Phila. special election is today
WILLIAM BENDER, Daily News Staff Writer benderw@phillynews.com, 215-854-5255 Posted: Tuesday, March 24, 2015, 12:16 AM
HAVE YOU been following that state House race in the Far Northeast?
Of course not. Only political junkies and super voters pay attention to this stuff.
It's actually quite juicy.
Voters in the 170th state House District, which covers the Bustleton-Somerton-Parkwood area, will go to the polls today to elect a replacement for former Democratic state Rep. Brendan Boyle, who was elected to Congress last year.
They'll decide between Democrat Sarah Del Ricci and Republican Martina White, which means that, either way, a woman will represent the former Republican stronghold for the first time.
Del Ricci, 34, is a horse trainer and director of the Parkwood Therapeutic Riding Center. White, 26, is a financial adviser.
Republicans in Harrisburg scheduled the special election for today, rather than hold it on the May 19 primary, because that gives them the best shot at reclaiming the seat they lost to Boyle in 2008. Democrats outnumber Republicans 7-to-1 citywide, but only 2-to-1 in the 170th District.
The race also has devolved into an internecine proxy war with complicated political undercurrents and ugly personal attacks.
Boyle's chosen successor for the vacant seat was Seth Kaplan, chief of staff for his brother, state Rep. Kevin Boyle. But local Democratic ward leader and Lt. Gov. Mike Stack overrode the Boyles' wishes and tapped Pennsylvania Turnpike employee John Del Ricci - then later settled on his wife as the chosen candidate. The reason behind the husband-wife switch depends on whom you ask.
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NE Phila. special election is today