A lively crowd of more than 50 turned out to the Liberty City Democratic Club’s endorsement meeting at the Ethical Society of Philadelphia to discuss which candidates the LGBT group should support in the May 20 primary election.
The group’s endorsement committee recommended state Treasurer Rob McCord for governor, but members voted 20-18 against the endorsement. There was ultimately no endorsement for governor.
Liberty City members did, however, endorse Sen. Mike Stack for lieutenant governor.
The group endorsed two congressional candidates: Shaughnessy Naughton, who is challenging Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick for his Eighth District congressional seat, and state Sen. Daylin Leach, who is running for the 13th District seat, currently held by Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz, who is running for governor.
Endorsement committee member David Feldman said although both Naughton and her primary opponent, Kevin Strouse, showed great support for LGBT issues, Naughton’s questionnaire was more thorough.
“This was one of those races that we felt showed a real progression in our community, that we had two really good candidates,” he said. “We really looked at the questionnaires and Naughton showed more specifics in her questionnaire and had clearly done more research.”
The committee recommended Leach based on his longtime support of and leadership on LGBT issues.
“He has been the most outspoken member of the House and Senate on our issues,” Feldman said. “He has been out there statewide, nationally and in your face on LGBT issues before most legislators came near the issue.”
Feldman noted that both candidates displayed equality as one of the top issues on their campaign websites.
State elections were also discussed.
Liberty City endorsed state House incumbents Reps. Steve McCarter (D-154th Dist.), Mike O’Brien (D-175th Dist.), Brian Sims (D-182nd Dist.), Jordan Harris (D-186th Dist.), James Roebuck (D-188th Dist.), Cherelle Parker (D-200th Dist.) and Mark Cohen (D-202nd Dist.).
Endorsed House challengers included Josh Young for the 74th district, Bill Smith for the 164th and Ben Ramos for the 197th.
Several members noted that Young’s challenger, Downingtown Mayor Josh Maxwell, helped bring an LGBT nondiscrimination ordinance to the town, but others argued in favor of Young because he is a member of the LGBT community.
The organization endorsed two state Senate candidates: Tina Tartaglione for re-election to the Second District and Art Haywood for the Fourth District, currently held by LeAnna Washington, who is facing corruption charges.
Liberty City endorsed state Rep. Ed Neilson for the Philadelphia City Council special election to fill Councilman Bill Green’s vacated seat after he became chair of the School Reform Commission.
Liberty City ended the meeting by endorsing Micah Mahjoubian, Mary Isaacson and Sherrie Cohen for Democratic State Committee.
For more information on Liberty City Democratic Club, visit www.libertycity.org.