While Bryan Lentz and Pat Meehan continue to snipe at each other over “Schnellergate” – the Democrat’s admission to this newspaper that he knew about his supporters’ efforts to get a third-party conservative candidate on the ballot, I continue to be struck by something else Lentz told us.
I asked him that this was a bit of a novel situation, that he and the Republican Meehan were battling for what amounts to an open seat, what with U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak leaving that post to run for the U.S. Senate.
I assumed Lentz would not be running for this seat if Sestak had not decided to challenge the Democratic powers that be and do battle with Sen. Arlen Specter in the primary, a race that Sestak won in a huge upset.
Lentz admitted he had no plans to challenge Sestak, but then he added something I was not expecting.
He had planned to leave the state Legislature anyhow.
Lentz indicated he was a bit dismayed at the way things are done in Harrisburg and was looking for another challenge.
That’s when it also struck me that there is something else at work here.
It took Democrats two decades to finally vanquish longtime Republican Congressman Curt Weldon. Sestak did that back in 2006. It took just three years for Sestak to set his sights on another prize.
Likewise, Lentz’s 161st state House seat had been in Republican hands even longer. Rep. Tom Gannon was a fixture in Harrisburg for almost three decades before he was shown the door by Lentz.
Now Lentz is leaving that seat as well. It could very well revert back into Republican hands, if longtime Ridley cop and county detective Joe Hackett beats Democrat Walt Waite.
If Lentz loses to Meehan, that 7th District seat that Dems fought so long and hard for also would be back in Republican hands.
I guess what goes around, comes around.
I asked him that this was a bit of a novel situation, that he and the Republican Meehan were battling for what amounts to an open seat, what with U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak leaving that post to run for the U.S. Senate.
I assumed Lentz would not be running for this seat if Sestak had not decided to challenge the Democratic powers that be and do battle with Sen. Arlen Specter in the primary, a race that Sestak won in a huge upset.
Lentz admitted he had no plans to challenge Sestak, but then he added something I was not expecting.
He had planned to leave the state Legislature anyhow.
Lentz indicated he was a bit dismayed at the way things are done in Harrisburg and was looking for another challenge.
That’s when it also struck me that there is something else at work here.
It took Democrats two decades to finally vanquish longtime Republican Congressman Curt Weldon. Sestak did that back in 2006. It took just three years for Sestak to set his sights on another prize.
Likewise, Lentz’s 161st state House seat had been in Republican hands even longer. Rep. Tom Gannon was a fixture in Harrisburg for almost three decades before he was shown the door by Lentz.
Now Lentz is leaving that seat as well. It could very well revert back into Republican hands, if longtime Ridley cop and county detective Joe Hackett beats Democrat Walt Waite.
If Lentz loses to Meehan, that 7th District seat that Dems fought so long and hard for also would be back in Republican hands.
I guess what goes around, comes around.
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