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Lentz rolls out endorsements from local insiders

In a bid to show that the local Democratic establishment is firmly behind him, state Representative Bryan Lentz (D-Delaware) on Thursday announced endorsements from dozens of elected and party officials, ranging from borough mayors and council members to local party chairs and district school board members.

Taken together, Lentz, who is running for Congress in the 7th District, said the insiders backing him “form the backbone of our party.”

“It is truly an honor to receive the endorsement of so many of our great elected officials and local leaders in the Democratic Party,” Lentz said in a statement.

The endorsements come on the heels of a pa2010.com report about local Democrats still looking to push state Representative Greg Vitali (D-Delaware) into the race, and they demonstrate just how much Lentz has been able to rally Democrats behind him—and how difficult it might be for Vitali to catch up should he decide to run. Lentz has already won the support of leaders from Radnor and Marple in Vitali’s Legislative District—though no one on the list is from Vitali’s strong Haverford base.

Some of the elected officials endorsing Lentz Thursday include Brookhaven Mayor Mike Hess, Landsdowne Mayor Jayne Young and Media Mayor Robert A. McMahon, along with council members and township commissioners from Radnor, Ridley Park, Sharon Hill, Swarthmore and Upper Providence.

“Whether it was in uniform or in the halls of the state capitol, Lentz has proven himself to be an effective leader and a person of great integrity,” Hess, the Brookhaven mayor, said in a statement from the campaign. “I have no doubt that if we send Bryan Lentz to Washington that he will continue to stand up and be a voice for middle-class Americans, fight for what is right and always put the needs of his constituents before his own.”

Political consultant E. Teresa Touey is also seeking the Democratic nomination. Former U.S. Attorney Pat Meehan is expected to be the Republican candidate.

See the full release from the Lentz campaign below:

Delaware County Democratic Officials and Party Leaders Rally Around Lentz for Congress

~Show of party unity underscores popularity among local leaders ~

SWARTHMORE, PA—Democratic elected officials and Democratic Party leaders from around Delaware County today endorsed Bryan Lentz for the Democratic nomination for Congress in Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District.  The majority of Delaware County municipalities in the 7th District are represented in the endorsements, giving Lentz a huge boost in anticipation of his formal announcement as a candidate for Congress.

“It is truly an honor to receive the endorsement of so many of our great elected officials and local leaders in the Democratic Party,” Lentz stated.  “They form the backbone of our party, and I thank them all for their service to their communities and for this tremendous show of early support.”

Included on the list are elected officials from large Democratic municipalities such as Marple, Radnor and Nether Providence Townships as well as prominent officials like Media Mayor Bob McMahon, Media Council President Frank Daly and Lansdowne Mayor Jayne Young.

“Whether it was in uniform or in the halls of the state capitol, Lentz has proven himself to be an effective leader and a person of great integrity,” Mike Hess, Mayor of Brookhaven Borough, stated.  “I have no doubt that if we send Bryan Lentz to Washington that he will continue to stand up and be a voice for middle-class Americans, fight for what is right and always put the needs of his constituents before his own.”

Since defeating a 28-year incumbent to win a seat in the state legislature, Lentz has taken his role as a leader in the local Democratic Party very seriously.  He works hard for local candidates, raising money and campaigning door-to-door with them.  Lentz is a former U.S. Army Ranger and Iraq war veteran who also served overseas in the Sinai Peninsula and Bosnia.  He was awarded both the Bronze Star for Service and the War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal.  In civilian life, Lentz served for six years as a prosecutor with the District Attorney’s office, where he prosecuted violent crime.  He is currently serving in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and he lives in Swarthmore with his wife Jennifer and their son Thomas.

With Congressman Sestak’s announcement that he will vacant his Congressional seat and challenge Senator Arlen Specter in the Pennsylvania Democratic Senate Primary, Lentz is poised to carry the Democratic banner into the general election to hold onto the 7^th Congressional District.  Lentz began raising money and building a campaign organization and is planning to formally announce his candidacy in the near future.

The Democrats endorsing Lentz include:

Mike Hess……………………………………………………………Brookhaven Borough Mayor

John Wilwert……………………………………………..Brookhaven Borough Council President

Michael Ruggieri……………………………………………………Brookhaven Borough Council

Harry L. Seth……………………………………………………….Brookhaven Borough Council

Janice Sawicki………………………………………………………Brookhaven Borough Council

Sande Walton……………………………………..Brookhaven Democratic Committee, Co-Chair

Peter Jesson…………………………………………..Chadds Ford Democratic Committee, Chair

Phil Fabrizio……………………………Clifton Heights Democratic Executive Committee, Chair

Lee Taliaferro……………………………………Darby Township Democratic Committee, Chair

Marius Russo……………………………………..East Lansdowne Democratic Committee, Chair

Sharon Coleman………………………………………….Lansdowne Borough Council, President

Jayne Young………………………………………………………….Lansdowne Borough Mayor

Ellen Lustgarten……………………………………………………..Lansdowne Borough Council

Billy Smith…………………………………………………………..Lansdowne Borough Council

Tony Campuzano………………………………………Lansdowne Democratic Committee, Chair

James Balk…………………………………Marple Township Board of Commissioners, President

Charles Sammartino…………………Marple Township Board of Commissioners, Vice President

John Butler……………………………………………Marple Township Board of Commissioners

Robert A. McMahon……………………………………………………….Media Borough Mayor

Frank Daly……………………………………………………..Media Borough Council, President

Donald Dix……………………………………………Mid-County Democratic Committee, Chair

Mario Cimino……………………………………………………………Morton Borough Council

Lin A. Floyd…………………..Nether Providence Township Board of Commissioners, President

Frank Noyes……………..Nether Providence Township Board of Commissioners, Vice President

Sallie Anderson…………………………..Nether Providence Township Board of Commissioners

Matt Sullivan……………………………..Nether Providence Township Board of Commissioners

David Landau…………………………………..Nether Providence Democratic Committee, Chair

John DiPompeo………………………………………..Newtown Township Board of Supervisors

John Fisher………………………………………Radnor Board of Commissioners, Vice President

William Spingler…………………………………………………Radnor Board of Commissioners

Brucie Rapoport……………………………………………………………..Radnor School Board

Eric Zajac……………………………………………………………………Radnor School Board

Bruce Bikin…………………………………………………Radnor Democratic Committee, Chair

James Donahue……………………………………………..Ridley Democratic Committee, Chair

Joe Yorke…………………………………………………………..Ridley Park Council, President

Jeanne Frantz………………………………………..Ridley Park Council, President Pro Tempore

Linda Smith…………………………………………………..Ridley Park Council, Vice President

Doris Lamb……………………………………………………………………Ridley Park Council

Nina Walls…………………………………………….Ridley Park Democratic Committee, Chair

Sally Morbeck……………………………………………Rutledge Democratic Committee, Chair

Steve Travers………………………………………………………..Sharon Hill Borough Council

Scott MacNeil……………………………………………………….Sharon Hill Borough Council

Michael Finnegan……………………………………………………Sharon Hill Borough Council

Edward Kelly…………………………………………..Springfield Democratic Committee, Chair

Elisabeth Knapp…………………………………………………….Swarthmore Borough Council

Tom Huestis……………………………………………..Swarthmore Borough Council, President

Susan Smythe………………………………………Swarthmore Borough Council, Vice President

Ralph Jacobs………………………………………………………..Swarthmore Borough Council

Melissa Lewicki…………………………………………………….Swarthmore Borough Council

Rick Stabinski…………………………………………Swarthmore Democratic Committee, Chair

Colleen Guiney……………………………………Swarthmore Democratic Committee, Treasurer

Michael Power………………………………………….Thornbury Democratic Committee, Chair

Angela D’Alessandro…………………….Upper Darby Democratic Executive Committee, Chair

Marge Dugan………………………..Upper Darby Democratic Executive Committee, Vice Chair

Joe Hawkins……………………Upper Darby Democratic Executive Committee, 2nd Vice Chair

Lisa Belgrove…………………………Upper Darby Democratic Executive Committee, Treasurer

Edward Bradley………………………………….Upper Darby Democratic Executive Committee

Cynthia Jackson………………………………….Upper Darby Democratic Executive Committee

Bill Clinton………………………………………………….Upper Providence Township Council

Mary Gay Scanlon………………………………………..Wallingford-Swarthmore School Board

Rick Sonntag………………………………………………Wallingford-Swarthmore School Board

Mark Kuperberg………………………………………….Wallingford-Swarthmore School Board

*All names and titles are for identification purposes only.

XXX

October 1, 2009 at 11:11 am

--Dan Hirschhorn

Tags: Bryan Lentz, E. Teresa Touey, Greg Vitali, PA-7

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