I've always liked Andy Lewis.
We have something in common. He's a Lafayette grad. That's where my daughter got her undergraduate degree as well.
Go 'Pards!
He's also a bit of a political maverick?
You might say he dances to the beat of his own drummer.
How maverick? Well, the former Haverford commissioner and offspring of the legendary state GOP figure Drew Lewis holds the distinction of casting one of the very few 'no' votes recorded by the Delaware County Council.
No Democrat has been elected to the Council since the Home Rule Charter was changed back in the mid '70s. I think it's been just as long since there was a no vote. The Council routinely delivers a solid block of 5-0 votes, with the all-Republican board walking in lockstep.
Not so a few years back when Delaware County was mulling floating a bond to chip in $30 million toward the $122 million pricetag of building PPL Park for a proposed Major League Soccer team on the Chester waterfront.
Lewis wanted more information on the league's books and its financial outlook before putting the county on the hook for the money. When the league rejected his request, he delivered that rarity of a Republican thumb's down on Council.
But Lewis, not exactly a fan of campaigning, tired of the political grind and did not seek re-election to Council.
Now he's back, and he's just as maverick as ever.
This week Lewis pulled off another rarity - a successful write-in campaign. Lewis rolled to a huge margin in challenging incumbent Haverford Fifth Ward Commissioner Jeff Heilmann. Republicans hate write-in campaigns. The danger is it will split the GOP faithful's vote, opening the door to a Democratic victory. Need proof? Witness what just happened in the special election for the state House 161st seat. A write-in by Lisa Esler likely cost the GOP the seat, opening the door to Democrat Leanne Krueger-Braneky.
Not so in Haverford.
Lewis swamped both his Republican brethren Heilmann and the Dem challenger Chuck Reardon.
Lewis got an unheard of 666 votes, to just 335 votes for Reardon, with Heilman bringing up the rear at 273.
Andy Lewis. Maverick.
Welcome back.
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