It was no secret that Tom Wolf and Jim Burn didn’t get along.
After winning the Democratic nomination, Gov. Wolf tried to install Katie McGinty as Chair. Burn resisted and Wolf chose to start a PAC to act as his own party-in-exile.
After all that, it was really just a matter of time until Burn decided to step down and now that time has come.
In fact only a month ago, Chris Brennan of the Inquirer reported that Burn was considering stepping down.
He also mentioned that Wolf has a new favorite for the position: Montgomery County Party Chairman Marcel Groen.
Congressman Bob Brady told Brennan that the Governor was calling around for support. Rep. Brady, who is also the powerful head of the Philly Democratic Party, agreed to back whoever Gov. Wolf wanted.
“If the governor would like me to serve in that capacity, I’d love to do it,” Groen stated at the time.
So we ask you our readers, will Wolf get who he wants this time?
Will Marcel Groen Be the Next PA Democratic Party Chairman?
- No (80%)
- Yes (20%)
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29 Responses
So a year ago, State Committee and Mr. Wolf decided to go different ways with the Chair position. Since that time, Mr. Wolf has snubbed his nose at the hundreds of county leaders that helped him get elected by ignoring and distancing himself from State Committee. Why should we give him what he wants now?
NOTHING TO SEE HERE PEOPLE; KEEP IT MOVING
Kevin Keene-
Wolf had a huge voice last time. But, it wasn’t enough. Now, that he’s spent a year tearing down Burn and the state committee, he gets to make another recommendation to the committee.
Anonymous your post is spot on! Let’s hope we all get behind the NEW leader or the Democratic party. Sorry but wolf should have a huge voice in who that is.
Hey anonymous, the PA Democratic State Committee endorsed NO ONE in 2014, so no they did NOT want Rob McCord over Wolf or anyone else. There is no grudge, except on Wolf’s part because he didn’t get to play dictator. Yes, as the eventual nominee, Wolf won a lot of votes (thanks to the help of Jim Burn and our Democratic State and County Committees!) BUT Rules are rules and laws are laws and Tom Wolf is not above either just because he won more votes than his opponent. Party rules and PA law say the State Committees (of both parties) have the right to make their own rules and choose their own chair, because they were elected BY THE VOTERS to represent the voters’ interests in the party. That’s how a representative democracy works. If you, as a voter, don’t like their choices then vote your State Committee reps out next time. But in the meantime Wolf should respect the State Committee as elected by the voters to do its job the way it sees fit, and he should do the job the voters elected HIM to do which is govern the state — not play politics. By your twisted logic, I guess the winner of the Governor’s race should dictate everything to everyone in the state and Tom Corbett should have chosen the Democratic State Committee Chair in 2010?
@WhereIsFleck What do you mean “table deals”? Please explain what that term means and what you’re talking about.
Big question??
Where is Fleck?? Jim Burn basement, maybe??
What happened to all the contracts Jim Burn gave his buddy Fleck for the Pa state party mailing, fundraising, and of course his Loud and Clear (paid for by the state party) show??
Do you really think by accident the State Party held their meeting in Allentown??? That was just another Burn/Fleck buddy deal. Hope the state members paid attention to the table deals that were going on at the Hotel with Burn and Friends…
Hmm…
Chairman Jim Burn: elected with 299 votes
Governor Tom Wolf: elected with 1,920,355 votes
I think it is fair to say that Governor Wolf has a right to be the defacto leader of the PA Democratic Party!
Ed Rendell won 18 counties during his first election as Governor and 1,913,235 votes.
Tom Wolf won 24 counties during his first election as Governor and 1,920,355 votes.
Dem State Committee has to get over itself. These power hungry people have to realize that the VOTERS are what matter and at the end of the day its about putting up good, electable candidates that can win.
If Dem State Committee had its way convicted felon Rob McCord would have been the nominee. They are still holding a grudge. Get over it.
Lets get real. The number one job of a modern Chair of a political party is the raise funds to recruit and elect down ballot candidates. Frequently party employed operatives are backwash from former candidates ( successful and unsuccessful).
Top ticket candidates and national candidates run their own shows and populist’s don’t give a rat’s tail about local party drama.
Having said that the state committee members are the core of the rank and file election day volunteers and are elected and deserve respect and to be heard. There is also a required maturity about fundraising capabilities and a working relationship with the top elected officials.
Most of the recent Chair’s have left a personal legacy written in sand.
I hope Marcel is a change for the better.
And the sad thing is great show could be right about that one thing! These people will be singing we hate wolf! Only because there guy burns was elected by very few people. Is somehow more important then Mr. Wolf who was elected by many many more people! Only in small minds can you justify that!!!And you right handers will keep the house and senate.
Anyone but”Guess you answered my question. You attack wolf and Marcel because your only mad that your guys not going to be here. Cry me a river! When a country chair turns things blue the way Marcel did. You can’t say he isn’t ba great leader!!!! In doing that I am sure your going step on someone’s toes. But It’s the results that count! Your guys gone. Stop crying over the past! Move on and give the new governor and his people a chance. Great show I see your enjoying this
As you should. But which one of the 30 right wingers you voting for president! Now there is a circus side show! My only hope is the Democratics can band together in sept. And turn something back blue.
If we are forced to change the party leader, H
how about a great woman leader like Siobhan Bennett?
Thank you Democrats!! Great show. Keep the Popcorn popping…
You fools sure do love to Kill each other… Love it!
No worry we will keep voting No on Marcel Groen. We sure don’t want that guy to run your party…
Maybe your new song can be WE HATE WOLF… We HATE WOLF….
Keene: No actually my people WON. We as State Committee members, chosen by the voters of the Democratic Party of Pennsylvania, duly and unanimously elected Jim Burn to be our chair. This is our right under party rules and state law. Jim Burn then worked very hard to get Wolf elected as did we all. Wolf is the one who acted like a spoiled little boy by starting his own PAC, undermining the party’s elected State Committee and County Committee members, and basically throwing a childish temper tantrum until he gets his own way. It is not a cheap shot to tell the truth.
@ Marcel:
For the past half-decade, during the semi-annual encounters @ the Abington 7-2 polling-site [Abington Club], I have forcefully asked that you demonstrate backbone [and have encouraged your wife, Bernice, to reinforce that request]; if/when you assume this position, you should already have spoken-out against the Iran-Nuke capitulation as an ethical prerequisite for providing a leadership role within the Dem-party.
Heavy one-
My take on this has been consistent. The ELECTED state committee members rejected Wolf’s suggestion of McGinty (for whatever reasons) and preferred to stay with Burn.
The committee gave Wolf’s pick due consideration, but the votes simply weren’t there. Wolf should have respected the democratic process and the decision of the committee. The gov nominee is not supposed to be the dictator of the state committee.
Instead, he (and too many of his supporters) chose to act like petulant children and undermine Burn and the State committee, rather than work together to strengthen the committee and the party. This go-it-alone attitude is also why Wolf had no coattails and is stuck with a more Republican legislature. His campaign (and the ridiculous Fresh Start) refused to connect the dots to Corbett and the state reps who voted for the same bad policies.
Kevin Keene-
Marcel has been a powerful County Chairman and Montco is in great shape. But, none of that changes how the state committee members were disrespected and punished for their vote to reelect Burn. I don’t know how (or if) Marcel plans to heal that rift.
Whistleblower-
Brady and Marcel seem to be teamed up on this one.
Hey anyone” ARe you stupid or what? Taking a cheap shot at the governor and party leaders isn’t going help your cause! Unless of course your just a Corbett supporter still upset because your man got his butt kicked! Because someone that cares about the party doesn’t take cheap shots at the governor! Or guess you could be a Burns man? Either way your the one that sounds like a cry baby. Grow up there is winners and loser’s. Your people lost get over it!
Why is all these people being so negative of the apparent governor’s choice? Are you all burns supporters? Or supporter’s of who ever runs against Mr Groen? If that who the governor wants! And remember wolf won by 10 points in a nation wide Republican landslide. And if your truly looking out for what’s best for the party. Why attack his choice? You all sound like sour grapes because your man is out. Or your person isn’t the governor’s choice! I don’t know if Marcel is the best choice or not? But if he is governor wolfs choice. Then that is good enough for me. And think whoever Doe’s the voting should vote for Mr. Groen.
Hey “True Leader” er, Marcel, is that you?? Apparently you aren’t smart enough to figure this out, but FYI taking a slap at all the other Democratic County Chairs in Pennsylvania is not going to make anyone like Marcel Groen. It will only alienate rank and file Democrats even more.
Congressman Brady has more juice than Marcel and better statewide relationships. All I know is it would be a huge mistake to choose Marcel. He can’t do anything to help State Committee. He won’t do anything to help State Committee. He hasn’t helped any candidate in 10 years!!! Hillary if your listening ; Governor Wolf if your listening ” YOU DONT NEED MARCEL! He doesn’t help candidates. Literally does nothing. You can win without him. ASK ANYONE ELECTED IN PA. No one got elected because of Marcel they all got elected in spite of him
The Democrat State Party is a laughing joke across the State. We need a true leader that understands running a party. That wins races!! That Builds a party.
No other Chair except Marcel Groen has achieved this.
Sad to read ugly untrue words said about a real leader.
FYI Burn supporters – He left the ship-get over it!!! “Let it Go”
Funny how current “want to be chairs” have no accomplishments except to run their mouths. And send out email lies. And trash our own Governor-what jerks. Stop your games….
If Crybaby Wolf and Jim Burn are not friends, it is Wolf’s fault for not getting his own way. Jim Burn never once said anything but good words of support for Tom Wolf. Marcel Groen is not well liked by a lot of people in the party. He’s an unpleasant, arrogant man who respects only those he thinks are important or can be useful. Not a good model for getting ordinary people excited about the Democratic Party so we get work done in the field and win elections. Someone needs to tell Wolf and whatever dinosaurs are controlling him (Rendell, Groen, Brady?)that the days of Boss Tweed are over. If the Dems want to win elections they need to quit taking the rank and file people for granted. Otherwise, unless Hillary has awful long coattails (at least a heck of a lot longer coattails than Wolf’s nonexistent ones) look forward to the PA House and Senate staying in GOP control for a long time to come. And this vendetta against Joe Sestak by the powers that be will probably hand Toomey another term in the US Senate as well.
We can only hope that Marcel will get party chair. He will turn PA blue in the house and senate,just like he turned his own county blue. We need a leader like Mr. Groen. And how is that a bad thing that him and governor wolf are friends? It is hard to move a party forward if the party chair and governor are at each others throat. It would be a honor to assist the Governor and Marcel to move this great state forward.
Marcel would be a horrible choice. He never takes a stand on any canidate EVER! Unless it’s Shapiro. He’s not a leader! He’s in the way of progress. No No No please for the love of God nooooo
That’s a great question, Alan Kennedy-Shaffer. Maybe you, Alan Kennedy-Shaffer, can give us some insight?
A better poll would be does the state party regain relevance with after Burn’s scorched earth departure?
If Marcel is elected new Party Chair I wounder if he will be wearing an Orange suit to Gettysburg??????
The fix is in, guys. Governor Wofe LOOOOOOOVES Montco! He promoted Leslie Richards to PennDOT, he’s promoting Marcel to Dem Party Chair and the best promotion will go to Josh Shapiro at the AG’s office once Kane steps down, which surely won’t happen until Josh has led the hapless Val Arkoosh to victory in another term of Dem Majority in Montco. Who needs law enforcement experience to be AG? It’s not like he could be worse than Kane. Now shut up, sit down, and stop pretending like Democrats in the rank and file have an opinion that actually matters to the heavy hitters.
Or for that matter, David Tyler, unless that would conflict with his appointment as Governor Wolf’s COS?
How can this be considered a legitimate poll without including Alan Kennedy-Shaffer as an option?