Rundown from the PAGOP Receptions

Source: Hershey Lodge
Source: Hershey Lodge

With the Chair election Saturday morning, judicial endorsements on the agenda, and groundwork being laid for 2018, the late night receptions had lots to talk about.  

Here’s the rundown of the scuttlebutt and rumors.

The fight for chairman

In a few hours, Chester County GOP Chair Val DiGiorgio and PAGOP General Counsel Lawrence Tabas will square off to see which of them will become the new party chair.

On Friday night, they held dueling receptions after the party dinner.

  • Majority Leader Jake Corman and former Lieutenant Governor Jim Cawley spent their nights at the DiGiorgio reception. Senate Pro Tempe Joe Scarnati was on the billing, but couldn’t attend due to family matters.   
  • RNC Members Christine Toretti and Bob Asher both exclusively attended DiGiorgio’s reception. Asher has been a very public supporter of DiGiorgio for Chair.  
  • Most of the rank and file state party members walked between the two receptions, but there tended to be a larger crowd at the Tabas reception.  

Lobbying individual state committee members lasted late into the night.

Judicial endorsements

  • Today’s judicial endorsement votes are expected to go smoothly, with the widespread belief that there will be the same number of endorsements as there are vacancies on each Court. (Which matches the picture from the regional straw polls).

2018 groundwork

  • During his remarks at the Dinner, State Senator and gubernatorial candidate Scott Wagner (R-York) threw a little shade at a prospective PA-Gov opponent. Namely by taking credit for securing Senator Jake Corman (R-Center) his position as Majority Leader. Corman was in the room at the dinner. (Wagner helped Corman topple incumbent Leader Dominic Pileggi in 2014).
  • Rick Saccone is still considering a run for U.S. Senate. He met with state party members about a run.  
  • Former Treasurer Candidate and businessman Otto Voit has kept his campaign accounts from his run open, and there is chatter that he is considering a run for Lieutenant Governor in 2018.
  • Former Revenue Secretary Dan Meuser has also been floating the idea for a bid for LG.  
  • Continuing the LG train, there were very quiet talks about a possible run by state Rep. Gordon Denlinger (R-Lancaster).

Disclosure: The author formerly worked for the Pa. Republican Party.

7 Responses

  1. Which Family does Asher belong to? With that moniker he sure don’t sound Sicilian. Was he adopted? Or did his aunt marry into the Family?

  2. @Asher is a Felon – It is a huge stretch to say that Bob Asher is the only person who decided the outcome of the chairmanship and judicial races. Bob Asher may have influence, but we could argue all day about how much influence he really has. In the end, he only has one vote and is greatly outnumbered by the over 300 state party members. He is currently a National Committeeman, so it makes sense that he would take sides in both the chairman race and judicial races and that he would be able to weigh in with his vote.

  3. Convicted Felon Bob Asher deciding who will be Judges and a Justice of The Supreme Court . Have you no decency ? Amazing Simply Amazing that Judges are not allowed to associate with Criminals Yet in this Case The Judges Kiss The Criminals Ring and Bow Down in front of Convicted Felon Bob Asher or Asher’s Candies .

  4. What a MAJOR Disappointment Senator Guy Reschenthaler (R) has become. He is totally controlled by the Party insiders. He is about as fake as you can get.

  5. This is the Part the Establishment Republicans just don’t understand. We don’t trust them and want them out. If i have to i will vote for a Democrat just to get rid of the Elite Establishment Republicans.

  6. I guess we get to see whether there are any profiles in courage in the PAGOP this weekend. A voice vote for Chairman let’s the DiGiorgio side see who is for and against them – and plan their retribution accordingly. Word on the street is an open vote is his best chance for victory, but not necessarily reflective of how many state committee members want to vote.

Email:
  • Will tonight's U.S. Senate debate affect your decision?


    • No. I've already decided on how to cast my vote. (81%)
    • Yes. Anxious to hear from both candidates (19%)

    Total Voters: 27

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