This gives a better idea of how they vote (proper color schemes of Blue-GOP; Red-Democrat) from the '04 Presidential vote.
Posted on 12/19/2007 6:44:16 AM PST by grace522
Alliance in Montco reflects party shift Republicans will share power. By Emilie Lounsberry
Inquirer Staff Writer
The surprise move by Republican Jim Matthews and Democrat Joe Hoeffel to share power as Montgomery County commissioners reflects a stunning reversal of fortune for the GOP. For decades, the county Republican Party enjoyed a reputation as an efficient and powerful political machine, demonstrated by its control of the courthouse for more than a century.
But yesterday's bipartisan news conference showed that was no more - especially after Democrats won five of nine county row offices in November.
Matthews will be chairman and Hoeffel vice chairman, sidelining Matthews' fellow Republican, Bruce L. Castor Jr., the well-known district attorney who ran for county commissioner specifically to preserve GOP control.
Though Castor was the top vote-getter in November, Matthews and Hoeffel have formed their own two-person majority on the three-member board. "We see a government of shared authority, responsibility and, moreover, accountability," Matthews said yesterday as he stood next to Hoeffel in the courthouse in Norristown.
"We're going to have a government of inclusion," he said.
Castor took the announcement in stride, calling his own news conference later in the day to place the blame on Hoeffel. He said there was still time for a reconciliation with Matthews - who was elected in 1999 - in the three weeks before they take office. Castor leaves the Prosecutor's Office in January.
"It's totally unbelievable to me that Jim would go and make an agreement to hand over to the Democrats what they could not win at the polls," Castor said, adding that he remained optimistic that Matthews would not proceed with the alliance. But Matthews and Hoeffel appeared united.
Hoeffel as vice chairman represents the first time in recent memory that a Democrat has held such a leadership position in Montgomery County.
His role reflects the shifting demographics of the county.
Voters have supported U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D., Pa.) and Gov. Rendell as GOP registration has steadily dropped. The state's third-largest county, Montgomery has voted for Democratic presidential candidates by ever-increasing margins since the 1990s.
Hoeffel will focus on county economic-development efforts. Also, Democrats will be hired for three positions in the Solicitor's Office and on the commissioners' staff.
Matthews and Hoeffel said their alliance was forged by voters who made a split decision in November by electing Democrats to five offices - controller, clerk of courts, prothonotary, register of wills and coroner. "The voters clearly indicated their desire for a mixed government," Hoeffel said.
Especially with a Democratic controller, the time had come for a "government of inclusion," Matthews said.
Matthews said the controller, along with the three commissioners, votes on hiring and firing decisions.
Without cooperation, Matthews said, there would be gridlock. "In the absence of bipartisanship, you would have no movement in government," he said.
Hoeffel called it a "great day for Montgomery County government" and said the courthouse was "in desperate need" of an infusion of bipartisanship.
Former county GOP chairman Robert B. Asher, who led the party in the halcyon days, said Republicans still have clout.
He declined to discuss the Matthews-Hoeffel alliance but said the GOP "can still win in Montgomery County if we have good candidates, good campaigns, and . . . don't spend our time fighting with each other."
Politics, he lamented, has changed. "It used to be that people could agree to disagree and then unite for the fall election," Asher said. "Unfortunately, today, everything has become personal."
Matthews and Castor have long had a contentious relationship.
Republican State Committee Chairman Rob Gleason said that he had hoped that Matthews and Castor would work out their differences and that he would still gladly mediate.
"They're both good guys. They worked hard in the past for the Republican Party," Gleason said. "I expect to work with them in the future."
At their news conference yesterday, Matthews and Hoeffel made clear that, at least for now, Castor would be the odd man out.
Matthews said that was largely because Castor had wanted to be chairman of the Board of Commissioners. Matthews said that he deserved that position because he has more government and business experience than Castor, and that he wanted Hoeffel and Castor to support him for the chairmanship.
"I have been unable to secure a unanimous vote from my running mate, Bruce Castor. I regret that inability," Matthews said.
Castor said he remained "willing to negotiate" with Matthews on the chairmanship and would even support Matthews for the role "so long as Jim and I agree we will not empower Joe Hoeffel."
Castor said he would still find his way if the alliance holds.
"This is shenanigans by Joe, designed to make us look bad," Castor said. "I'm not going to let it happen."
Castor said he would not be cast aside. "I think it is impossible to minimize me," he said.
what an absolute disgrace, especially after the ad castor cut for matthews in the week leading up to the election. this is the guy who ran on the number 2 ticket last year for governor. i didnt work to get the guy the elected, but alot of others did. go to **** matthews.
It does make you wonder whether funds were exchanged here.
RINOS will do that to you all the time. First they try to placate the so called “middle” to get elected. In the end people prefer not to vote for the liberals on a budget. They vote for the real thing and you get democrats.
Probably no funds needed. Matthews = typical PA Republicrat. In the '90's, when the "Republicans" took over Allegheny County for the first time in a zillion years (prior to the new form of gov't when they still elected 3 commissioners) the 2nd "Republican" who was dragged into office by the top vote getter, stabbed him in the back and sold out to the Democrat, same as Matthews did. Just typical PA Republicrat behavior.
The only silver lining in this is that Bruce Castor, who seems to be a solid law-and-order Republican (I’m not completely familiar with his record, so don’t flame me), comes out of it looking like a man of principle and may have a statewide future. We need candidates badly.
My husband, a "born" Republican left blank the governor's race last time when he discovered Matthews was Chris Matthews' brother. Blood, thicker than... and I guess he was correct. LOL!
We should be glad Lynn Swann didn’t win, since this POS (just like his brother) Matthews would’ve been the Lieutenant Governor of PA (and would’ve shown no hesistation in undermining him and knifing him in the back). Better gridlock government than including leftist repugnant rodents in decisionmaking leadership positions.
There are Republicans in PA?
Pennsylvania ping
Pennsylvania, yes. Palestinian Authority, no.
LOL. Aren’t most PA Repubs of the Rudy kind anyway?
There are Conservatives and there are RINOs, just like many other places.
The problem is recent elections has been the Philly suburbs lurch to the left.
This gives a better idea of how they vote (proper color schemes of Blue-GOP; Red-Democrat) from the '04 Presidential vote.
I’m afraid that’s how it will be for a while. We will not see any more conservatives from PA from now on, Santorum was an aberration.
Johnstown and even Scranton have had GOP Mayors in recent years. Cambria County (Johnstown) now votes GOP Presidentially. It was the first time since 1972 when it went for Dubya in 2004. It didn’t even vote for Reagan.
Don’t worry, it’ll come back around again. We do have Conservatives in PA (even some of the Dems aren’t pinkos).
Scranton (and Barletta's city of Hazleton) are quite depressing places, although I am happy to see that there is at least SOME political sense among the local populace.
On a final Pennsy note, my great grandfather settled in Dixon City, PA (between Scranton and Wilkes Barre) when he first came to this country. The fact that he left for NEWARK after only four years tells me all I need to know about Coal Country. ;-)
On the one hand, this report is from the Philadelphia Inquirer and therefore cannot be trusted. On the other hand, if there is any truth to the story then Jim Matthews may have just won his last election in Montgomery County. What a disappointment.
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