Montco Dems, No Endorsement For SD-17. Radnor and Haverford Will Decide Tomorrow. Atkins Out, Backs Cappelletti.
Democratic Committee People in the 17th Senatorial District convened at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School on Thursday night, and voted not to endorse anybody in the hotly contested state senatorial race.
In the second round of voting, Amanda Cappelletti received 91 votes to the incumbent, Daylin Leach’s 69. Cappelletti needed 96 votes to reach the 60% threshold that would have given her the endorsement.
It Appears That Linda Fields’ Supporters Voted for Leach In the Second Round.
Results from the first round
- Cappelletti 75
- Leach 50
- Fields 33
- Atkins 3
Assuming that everybody who voted for Cappelletti in the first round voted for her in second, and that everybody who voted for Leach in the first round also voted for him in the second round, then it is almost safe to assume that the majority of the 36 votes (19) that went to Fields and Atkins, went to Leach in the second round.
Today Atkins announced that she was dropping out of the race and will be supporting Cappelletti. Fields on the other hand, reaffirmed today that she’s still in the race.
Thursday night’s vote was a closed ballot, but it seems likely that all 19 of Leach’s “new votes” came from the 33 who voted for Fields int he first round.
Delco Hi-Tech Endorsement Meeting Tomorrow
Tomorrow, Delaware County Democratic Committee People will decide who they will endorse in the SD-17 race, if anybody.
Committee members will cast votes on a computer and will use a candidate ranking system for the first time.
Delco Dem Leaders Urged Leach to Resign
Last February, with the exception of Haverford and Radnor, the leaders of all the Democratic Committees in Delaware County Urged Leach to Resign.
Ironically, Haverford and Radnor are only the municipalities in Delaware County which are actually in the 17th Senatorial District. Together they represent about a third of the votes in the district.
State Committee Tells Delco Dems to put Leach’s name on the ballot.
The Delaware County Democratic Committee had been planning not to allow Leach’s name to appear on the ballot for endorsement, but that decision was overruled yesterday by the State Democratic Committee.
Sara Atkins Withdrawal Statement
Sara Atkins ends challenge for State Senate District 17; endorses Amanda Cappelletti.
I announced my candidacy for State Senate in District 17 more than a year ago because I believe that our current representative has degraded himself and his office with his behavior. As an experienced health care and education advocate, a woman with disabilities, and an Orthodox Jew, I still believe that I would be a valuable addition to our Democratic Caucus in the State Senate, but the stakes in this race are simply too high for me to let my ego get in the way of what must be our highest priority: removing Daylin Leach from office.
In light of the Montgomery County Democratic Committee’s failure to endorse any candidate at Thursday’s Convention, I’ve made the decision to end my candidacy and join Representative Mary Jo Daley (PA HD 148) in endorsing East Norriton Board of Supervisors Vice-Chair, Amanda Cappelletti.
As an attorney and former Director of Policy for Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Advocates with experience in both Harrisburg and Constituent Services, Ms. Cappelletti has both the experience and progressive values to be an excellent State Senator. Furthermore, Ms. Cappelletti has demonstrated her commitment to confronting the disturbing behavior of the incumbent and advocating for the culture change that we need in our General Assembly.
I am grateful to have had the opportunity to be a candidate in this talented field and deeply thankful for the support that I have received from my family, friends, and community. As we move into this next phase of the Primary, I hope that you’ll join me by donating, talking to voters, and voting for Amanda Cappelletti to be our next State Senator.
Additionally, we have learned that the Delaware County Democratic Committee’s resolution that Daylin Leach is ineligible for endorsement has been overturned and his name will appear on their endorsement ballot tomorrow. Given this disturbing, last-minute turn of events and the fact that ranked-choice voting will be used to determine who gets their endorsement, I will not be removing myself from endorsement contention at this time and ask that Committee members rank me as their second choice to give Ms. Cappelletti the best chance of gaining this important endorsement.
Linda Fields Statement
With the Open Primary in Montgomery County, it is now imperative to make an endorsement in Delaware County. We are at a pivotal moment in our district. Our once popular Senator has experienced public missteps and alienated himself from the leadership of our party at a time when unity is crucial to taking back our state and our nation. Through my conversations with you and other voters, it is clear that people are seeking real change but are unsure of the way forward. We agree that we need someone in Harrisburg who can lead the fight, not someone who will cause further derision and distraction. We have a crowded field of good Progressive candidates who are very similar on issues and policy. However, respectfully, I believe I am the only candidate in this race who currently has the resources, experience and plan to win both the Primary and General Elections in 2020. I respectfully ask for your vote for endorsement so I can continue to move our district forward towards unity and progress.
I was asked to run for this seat because I have the ability and experience to unite our district and restore integrity to the office. I proudly stand behind my record as a national union organizer. I directly negotiated thousands of employment contracts for thousands of members in the largest hospital chains in Pennsylvania. I have lobbied in Harrisburg and helped get legislation passed that directly benefited thousands of working families. I have dedicated my life to serving my community and now, more than ever, we need to focus our efforts on what is most important: fighting to improve the quality of life across the Commonwealth regardless of race, gender, age, or class. For the past 40 years, I have fought for the rights of women, workers, children and people of color as a negotiator, mediator, and community advocate. And I am not done fighting. I have seen so much progress in my lifetime. But frankly, it’s not even close to enough. We can and must do better. In 2019, I knocked on doors to support our Democratic candidates to help secure wins across both Montgomery and Delaware Counties. I believe we can win again – together. I want to represent you in Harrisburg so we can fight together for healthcare as a right, equitable funding for our public schools, safeguards for our environment, fairer wages for workers, protections and advancement of women’s rights, and tangible solutions for the opioid crisis. Give me that chance to fight for you and I promise I will never let you down.
This race does not end at the endorsement; that is when it begins. To date, I have raised $133,000 for my campaign, which is the most money raised in our very crowded field. I already have strong coalition behind me which will allow me to run and win against our well-funded incumbent in the Primary, as well as any Republican I may face in the General Election. I have an experienced campaign team behind me and a solid plan to win. These resources will allow me to effectively communicate our progressive message to the voters of SD-17 and let them know that progress and change is on the way. I am the only candidate that currently has support from unions and progressive organizations and more partners are ready to join our fight to help us win, should I receive your endorsement. In my 2018 campaign, I was endorsed by almost every major union and progressive organization and I am confident I will be again. To date, I am endorsed by 5 unions and I recently earned the endorsement of a well-respected former candidate Shae Ashe, who has just announced his support for me. I am the same person I was in 2018, but perhaps just a little older, a little wiser and definitely more determined than ever.
With great humility, I ask for your vote for endorsement. I will bring real change to Harrisburg simply by walking onto the floor as I would be the ONLY woman of color currently serving in the Senate. I have lived and exemplified Progressive values my entire life and I will serve you with integrity and honor. Give me that chance to fight for you and I promise I will never let you down.
Sincerely,
Linda Fields