As with many big cities, local politics in Philadelphia can be...hmm..."colorful".
Yesterday's neighborhood paper brought yet another example. If nothing else, it might make showing up at the polls in a couple of weeks to vote in the PA primary somewhat more interesting.
The race in question is for State Representative, which in my neighborhood is actually a very small district (so small, that a few blocks in either direction takes you to another district). However, the shenanigans have been interesting...
I've only lived in the neighborhood for 4 years, but the current representative has been in office for 10 years. This neighborhood is safely Democratic--actually that's an understatement--so any and all political action takes place in the primaries.
The district is narrow, but long, meaning that while only part of my neighborhood is included, it also sweeps down a narrow corridor into a less affluent/more heavily minority area as well.
Now normally, I don't even pay attention to races like this, nor am I aware of the direct effects my representative has on me or my lifestyle. However, over the last couple of years, it came to light that my rep hasn't maintained an office in the district because the Democratic party denied her funding--apparently over some feuding that I don't know the details about.
Now it turns out that about 4-5 people have come out of the woodwork to challenge her in the primary. One is a local activist and I even signed his petition (was cornered at the train station) to get on the ballot. I honestly don't know enough about any of them to be 100% on board with anybody, but the local guy sounded good to me, and there was some chance that he might not feud with the party to the point where they shut down the congressional office.
So then I saw in the neighborhood newspaper that the incumbant has issued legal challenges as to the legitimacy of the signatures of ALL of her opponents. That means hiring lawyers and handwriting experts and the whole bit (when she didn't have money to have an office in the district). One opponent has had his name removed from the ballot because the experts said that some people were not the same people who signed the petition. I imagine she is hoping that all her opponents will fall by the wayside in this manner.
Frankly, I think this stinks. Challenging all of her opponents? Wasting (presumably) my money on it? Well, I hope somebody else survives on the ballot so that I know who to vote for in the primary. In the meantime, there is a candidate forum scheduled for next week. Maybe I can bring some tomatoes with me...