Shae Ashe Joins Race to Primary Daylin Leach

The field is growing. 

Shae Ashe, the Norristown Area School Board President, announced his intention to seek the Democratic nomination for the state’s 17th Senate District. He becomes at least the second Democrat, joining community activist Sara Atkins, to announce a primary challenge to incumbent state Sen. Daylin Leach (D-Montgomery). 

Ashe’s campaign website says that his is a candidate that would bring “integrity” to the district. Calls for Leach to resign have grown from the Delaware and Montgomery County Democratic committees up to Gov. Tom Wolf, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman amid sexual assault allegations, which Leach denies. Separately, he apologized for incidents of inappropriate conduct with staff members. He has refused to resign. 

“Our State Senator follows the latest trends and spends his time attacking his accusers and constituents,” Ashe said in a campaign release. “The 17th district deserves an elected official who will not be distracted and do the job voters elect them to do.”

The 29 year-old Norristown resident was elected the Norristown Area School District Board Director in 2017 and one year later he was appointed the Board President

“I’m an elected official,” Ashe said according to the Daily Local News. “I know what it takes. It has given me a lot of experience, and I have insight into what is needed.”

Ashe’s campaign website highlights supporting public education and more apprenticeship opportunities, while expanding medicaid. 

Both primary challengers, Atkins and Ashe, have said that Leach is unable to do his job and is distracted, but a spokesperson for Leach’s 2020 campaign said that is not true when Atkins announced her bid

“I would not say the senator is distracted,” said Andrew Blum, a spokesperson for Leach’s 2020 campaign. “I would not say that is a fair characterization.”

In addition to his position as NASD School Board President, he worked in constituent services for Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Montgomery), according to the Daily Local News. He also founded the Norristown Project, which focuses on community cleanups. 

Leach has not faced a primary challenger since being elected to the state Senate in 2009.

7 Responses

  1. The more Democratic candidates, the better. Then maybe a Democratic Socialist woman might win the primary and general election. An AOC clone in our State Senate might liven things up bit.

    1. Umm.. no… not in a primary to unseat incumbent @sshole like Daylin. Too many candidates split the anti-Daylin vote.. helping Daylin.

      While there are many good people who would be better than Daylin, the best strategy to unseat him in Primary is one great candidate for everyone to rally around.

  2. Whatever Dems are planning to run against Daylin, should draw straws, pick high-card from a deck, roll dice or engage in a similar game of chance to pick a single opponent against Daylin.

    Note: While it would be great if all the contenders lose their egos and pick the best one to challenge Daylin, there is too much risk of in fighting. A game of chance avoids personal conflicts.

    The more people that run, the more they split the anti-Daylin vote, and help Daylin’s chances

  3. I think for State Representative Ben Sanchez should run for the State Senate and win over Leach in 2020.

  4. Mary Jo Daley is running and will win the day.

    Daylin can’t hurt anyone any more!

    1. Mary Jo voted No in favor of insurance carriers & against providing insurance coverage fo lyme & tick borne disease patients. As a life long democrat and mother of a 29 year old son, who died from complications of lyme disease, I will campaign against Daly for State Rep and don’t belief she is qualified to be a State Senator. I guess democrats beief in Health Care for all, except, those suffering from lyme & its co-infections. Tick Borne Disease treatment is unavailable for many , who can’t afford to pay out of pocket, since insurance carriers refuse payment for treatment. People are bed ridden & disabled & dying from tick borne diseases. Mary Jo is a heartless bureaucrat , who should go back to her job at the veterinary school at Penn. She told me checked with Penn doctors, who told her there was no such thing as chronic lyme & the treatment suggested by International Lyme disease Association guidelines wasn’t necessar. I think if Daly had consulted sick & disabled lyme patients instead of Penn docs, who aren’t effected, by the disease she would have gotten a different response. VOTE NO ON MARY JO DALY.

  5. Good to have experience in community cleanups. Maybe he can begin to clean up the PA legal system and GOP legislature.

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