Val DiGiorgio Villain 2018 — How have the Pennsylvania Republicans fallen.
Lou Barletta lost his senate bid, yesterday, Nov. 6, to incumbent Bob Casey by more than 600,000 votes as of midnight and Scott Wagner was crushed by 800,000 in gubernatorial battle with Tom Wolf.
Casey and Wolf were both easily beatable.
Further, three congressional seats flipped to D including the ones representing Delaware and Chester counties.
The congressional losses can be partly blamed on a loaded redistricting order by the state Supreme Court last January giving historical Democrat voters the majority in the Philadelphia suburban seats.
The court acquired its own Democrat majority in the 2015 election.
We are not sure yet if the GOP has lost the state House and/or Senate but in Delaware County, Sen. Tom McGarrigle appears to have lost the 26th District to Timothy P. Kearney, and Alex Charlton seems to have been unseated by Jennifer O’Mara in the 165th District, 15,577 votes to 15,414.
We can’t recall the last time a Democrat held that seat.
Who do we blame for this debacle? The leader of the Pennsylvania Republican Party is Val DiGiorgio, a partner with Philadelphia-based political fixer Stradley-Ronan, whose alums also include Pennsylvania Attorney General — and leading Democrat — Josh Shapiro, with whom Val has beneficial dealings.
It seems Val is doing to the Pennsylvania party what he has done to the Chester County Party, that he still runs. If we were cynics we’d say it was being done on purpose.
When the Tea Party movement exploded eight years ago and previously uninvolved persons became active, DiGiorgio took steps to keep them from participating in his bailiwick .
These decent people angered by waste, corruption and unnecessary taxes were demeaned by professionals and portrayed as things they were not.
Many no longer feel inspired to politics and those that do think the GOP is as much the enemy as the equally (more so probably) corrupt Democrats.
It’s really not unreasonable to think that both parties work in unison against the average citizen.
If there are any decent leaders still left in the GOP, it is something for them to ponder.
Val DiGiorgio Villain 2018
Safe to say no decent leaders left in Dem Party.
A villain long before 2018, I am afraid.
I am sure Mr. DiGiorgio will blame Trump. But look at the results, as Bill points out. Pretty much everywhere else, other than totally Dem states like Illinois and California, it was close. Blow outs in purple PA. Losses from the top of the ticket to the bottom.
Hopefully, Mr. DiGiorio is not harmed in his lobbying business though, apparently that is all that matters to this “leader.”
–Pretty much everywhere else, other than totally Dem states like Illinois and California, it was close. Blow outs in purple PA. Losses from the top of the ticket to the bottom.–
Good point. It’s not a crime to lose but it should be a crime to not try. The state GOP did not try this year.
Also note Conor Lamb’s win last summer was the only loss by Trump in special election races.
Well, I think Saccone was a bad fit for a blue collar union district.
If you missed it, the GOP managed to hold the State House and Senate: http://www2.philly.com/philly/news/politics/elections/elections-2018-pennsylvania-legislature-results-house-senate-20181106.html?fbclid=IwAR0XxoFHqIZj6W348BNJqmI9S3zRw2xJDYNPg5jJ_w-zWHQqRgI1AQ8OXFE
Freedom lover: What is the name of PA GOP Republican “leader” DiGiorgio’s Lobbyist business. Has he joined with former PA GOP Republican “leader” predecessor; Alan P. Novak, Strategic Advisors LOBBYIST LAWYER and Rooney (D) & Novak (R) LOBBYIST LAWYER of PA South Coatesville, Coatesville, West Chester and Texas Ranch? DiGiorgio INTENTIONALLY IGNORED Scott Wagner and thereby ENDORSED Tom Wolf who is a puppet of said LOBBYIST LAWYER. Wolf met in Coatesville with (D) PA Sen. Dinniman and (R) PA Rep. Lewis (both puppets of Lobbyist Lawyer) and returned to Harrisburg and announced appointment of Beemer to be Investigative Attorney; after setting-up the take down of Kathleen Kane by Lobbyist Lawyer Law Firm! Wealth (corporate, inherited, sports, art) and unions and the lawyers underground union that sit and bill at all public entities) hires LOBBYIST LAWYER to protect their land and their interests and their jobs. “Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely” Commencing in the late 60’s early 70’s with Chester County Commissioners (Dinniman, Martnyk, Hanna) in Collusion with Lobbyist Lawyer and Law Firms and Lawyers forming a Coalition and FUNDED BY FEDERAL & COUNTY TAX DOLLARS to the Lobbyist Lawyer/s ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL.
JUSTICE vs INJUSTICE, in answer to your question, the PA website for lobbying disclosure lists “leader” DiGiorgio as with “lobbying firm” STRADLEY RONON STEVENS & YOUNG, LLP, registration number: F02812 , start date of 01/08/2007 and no end date.
Mr. DiGiorgio’s bio on the Stradley Ronan website concludes with this: “He also represents clients in an advisory capacity before state and local governments on a broad array of legislative, administrative and business development matters.”
We have been informed that the 165th seat was held by Democrat Pat Stapleton who was defeated by Mary Ann Arty in 1978.
The real decline of the GOP started back in 2011 when they started using baseball bats to chase out the Conservatives, and stocking the local committees with non-workers and their hand-picked candidates who were not doing the job. Then they moved on to aligning themselves with Democrats and thus losing the conservative vote at the state and federal levels. With a Democrat-controlled Court, they were able to overturn the admittedly-gerrymandered districts to favor the Democrats, which brought about GOP candidate losses. Everything starts from the Local races. DiGiorgio should resign; he’s the “leader” who has presided over the decline and fall of the GOP not only in Chester County, but state-wide.
Sad but totally true. Look at Kampf, he got blown out after totally going progressive –supporting gun control, pushing for taxing to death the gas drillers, and unlimited money for “education” (in other words high teacher’s salaries, no accountability, and just throwing other people’s money after a problem).
Please don’t hold your breath waiting for Mr DiGiorgio to resign. Ain’t happening . Don’t you see it isn’t the fault of lousy “leadership,” poor candidates, or driving conservatives out of the party. No its Trump’s fault, or your fault, or my fault.
Demographics….which is the fault of both parties & we the people for being so “open minded” that our brains fell out!
Not a DECLINE but a strategically DESIGNED CONSPIRACY of POWER (legal DA&Deputy DA&police) EVIL (schemes,set-ups,scripted smears;WCASD superintendent Shaner suicide, Unionville farmer Hicks suicide, CASD teen attempted suicide, murder of couple via their ignorant operative complicit with DA & police) Elitist (Wealth:corporate, inherited, sports and art) & their Ignorant Operatives….GREED. The Lobbyist Lawyer Deputy DA Law Firms and Lawyer 1termPA Judge (with shield of law law clerk) DA Law Firm and GOP Lawyers and DEM Lawyers RULE ALL and have GAMED PA state, county and local GOVERNMENTS & COURTS.
In Berks, the Tea Party and conservatives have a home in the party.
Yes, and we worked VERY HARD to make that happen!
Abd now we are #RockingIt
And that’s exactly why they are stronger now, because they are embracing the people who are motivated and willing to get up and do the hard lifting.
Keep up the great work Donna
Have any nice homes for sale, because that sounds like a good spot.
Isn’t there any way to replace this “pretty face” and put someone competent in the PAGOP “driver’s seat?” PA had a TERRIFIC candidate in Lou Barletta and the PAGOP did a TERRIBLE (D- to F) job familiarizing the populace about him, and the buck stops with Digiorgio. Many people whom I spoke with before the election didn’t have a clue who Barletta was. Barletta himself really TRIED, crossing the state and speaking in innumerable locations, no matter how small the audience. However, that unfortunately isn’t enough. SOMEONE COMPETENT had to organize an effective campaign and that obviously wasn’t done. (Riding south on 202 from Boot Road to Route 1, there were dozens and dozens of McCauley signs (some with a dozen bunched together) but I didn’t see even ONE Barletta sign.) Lack of money isn’t an excuse…it was the ineffective use of the money available that was the problem. Even the Barletta E-Mails sent out were poorly done. Virtually all of their content was a plea for money with little if no substance citing Barletta’s accomplishments and positions. Shame on the PAGOP! A high-schooler could have organized a better campaign.
It is truly unfortunate that we had a chance to replace “Sleeping Bob” Casey with an outstanding senator who would have worked for US, but now Casey’s going to make a fortune on our tax money for at least six more years.
Can’t SOMEONE figure out how to replace DiGiorgio as head of the PA GOP! If he had any principles, he’d recognize his failures and inability to serve effectively and step down himself .
Until the PA GOP, the DelcoGOP and the Township GOP’s take responsibility for their failure in this election, there will be more defeats like this one. WAKE UP and use all the resources available to you going forward. The Grassroot movement can be an invaluable source of energy and motivation within the Republican Party. USE THEM instead of shunning them!
Andy Reilly needs to look in the mirror too. The Delco GOP has been made no effort over the years to support State or Federal candidates. They certainly did not promote Barletta at all. There were no Lou Barletta or Scott Wagner signs at my polling place. No Republican poll worker either. Just one very affable Democrat handing out their sample ballot. Good job, Val and Andy!