Posted on 11/28/2005 2:09:25 PM PST by LdSentinal
Montgomery County Commissioner Chairman James Matthews, a Republican, is running for Pennsylvania lieutenant governor.
County GOP chairman Ken Davis confirmed that Matthews will announce his candidacy early next month.
Davis said the party notified county Republican row officers, state officials, area leaders and municipal chairmen and women via letter that Matthews is running and that they were invited to come and support him at a press conference on the steps of the Montgomery County Courthouse on Dec. 7.
Matthews acknowledged Tuesday that letters were sent out to Republicans but he did not wish to comment further.
The Montgomery County Republican Committee will not endorse any candidates until next year but Davis said Matthews has his support.
"He is an excellent candidate," Davis said. "He has a lot of energy, good ideas and he speaks well. He also adds a lot of strength to the (gubernatorial) ticket by being from Montgomery County."
Republicans have acknowledged they need strong candidates to unseat Gov. Ed Rendell, who gets much of his support from Philadelphia and the eastern end of the state.
Matthews, who is serving his second four-year term as commissioner, owns and is president of Keegan Mortgage Corp. in Oreland.
He lives in Lower Gwynedd with his wife Karen. They have been married for more than 35 years. They have three sons; they lost their fourth son P.J. to leukemia in 2003.
Matthews, a native of the Somerton section of Philadelphia, is one of five brothers. One of his brothers is Chris Matthews, political commentator and host of MSNBC's "Hardball."
Another high-profile county official may take a stab at the office.
Political Web sites have reported that Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce Castor has said he would consider running if former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Lynn Swann was the GOP's candidate for governor.
Castor could not be immediately reached for comment Tuesday.
If he is anything like his brother, he'll talk himself out of the race.
I read about this guy... kind'a like a version of the Bennett bros.
It's good to know there's at least one member of the family who isn't a dumbass.
Does that mean that Chrissy "The Spitter" is Bob Bennett, and his brother is Bill?
Be interesting to see how this brother speaks on the issues of the day.
This will make Chrissy real jealous.
"Republicans have acknowledged they need strong candidates to unseat Gov. Ed Rendell"
wont take that much. his approval ratings arent exactly spectacular.
If he really wants to perform a public service, he should strangle his brother.
Yup
Not of the same intellect... but like I said... kind'a.
Happens in many families, one whack job amongst good people.
Mo Dowd wrote last year that her entire family (four siblings and parents as I recall) are Republican and Bush supporters.
Hook him up with Swann and it sounds like a strong ticket. Scranton is a very nice guy but he doesn't quite make it. ( hard to describe it, but sorry Bill no cigar!)
At least one of the Matthews kids turned out okay.
He's PRO-Second Amendment Republican!
That's good, but post #10 is better.
"...one whack job amongst good people."
I remember Mary Matalin saying that Carville was the only democrat nut in his family, or maybe it was liberal nut, I'm not sure.
Carville was the only democrat nut
Yes, I recall, think she said Liberal.
In one of the few places in the South Louisiana conservatives can be called Democrats.
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