We officially have a race.
Incumbent State Senator John Sabatina will be running for re-election against State Representative Kevin Boyle, the brother of Congressman Brendan Boyle.
At a fundraising event hosted by Teamsters Local 107, Sabatina laid out what his plans are for his second term, noting that he has four main areas of focus: education, economic growth, the livability of the Northeast, and public safety.
“We need to invest in education now, not incarceration later,” he stated. “I have been fighting to keep our neighborhoods safe for years. I promise to use what I learned as a prosecutor to make Northeast Philadelphia a great place to raise a family.”
This announcement comes just days after Boyle jumped into the race and received the endorsement of the Philadelphia FOP.
The two will meet in the Democratic primary on April 26th to decide who’ll represent the 5th district.
Finally, Sabatina also announced some veteran additions to his campaign staff that are included below:
Media and Mail: BerlinRosen
Alex Navarro-McKay – Alex is a veteran war room strategist who manages BerlinRosen’s campaign consulting and creative services group. He has been lead consultant for more than four-dozen races nationwide.
Will Hailer – Will is a Vice-President at BerlinRosen. He has managed campaign staffs as large as 350 people, and is a veteran of numerous statewide, local, and federal efforts.
Polling: 38th Street Strategies
Marc Silverman – Marc is an experienced Pennsylvania pollster, having worked for dozens of state House, state Senate, and Congressional races in PA.
Research: Gordie Loewen Research
Gordie Loewen – Gordie has been held many titles in an extensive political career, including research, communications, and policy roles on a variety of campaigns. Now, his company Gordie Loewen Research has done projects for the DCCC, Emily’s List, and many others.
Fundraising: St. Bernard Group
Kristen Stoner – Kristen and the St. Bernard group have over 19 years of experience in electoral politics. She has been the primary fundraiser for Democrats at the local, state, and federal levels, including state Senators, City Council members, and Members of Congress.
Loading ...
15 Responses
Wasn’t the older Boyle the head of the house democratic campaign committee since July 2011, the same period when the dems were put to the curb? Dems held the lead in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010; and lost the grip in 2011, 2012, 2013. Coincidence? Plenty of support for the Boyles, but little to none for other dems. Follow that hdcc staff, where do they work now?
They are downsizing the legislature. This seat will no longer exist in a year. Boyle made enemies and the level of greed. I’m sure this seat will be the first to go along with Wagners. He could have stayed in the house forever. Stupid overplayed and not too bright. Boyle brothers cost the Dems 3 seats. Who’s advising them?
I believe Kevin Boyle is going to do the politically courageous thing and not to run for his House too in the Primary. I also believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny.
Sab hired Silverman to do his polling. Great choice, my suggestion is do a poll find out your way down in name recognition, like ability and reason your not liked comes from your sneaky pop. John’s a great guy. Went for endorsement from FOP and talked about fallen officer and got the young man’s name wrong. He’s going against a machine. You could have been in the house for ever.
The senate seat SHOULD have gone to a ward leader Shawn D. But instead watched a team player get screwed.
Watch what happens now. … It’s your turn. What goes around, comes around. I would suggest taking a judgeship.
Pay back for not standing up to daddy!!!
How long could Kevin Doc last? He tried to help Eakin stack Judicial Court the day before he was sworn in lol. And all he did was take the place of Shameless McCaffery another Johnny Doc embarrassment.
I like when the union guys get riled up in the comments section. Proper grammar takes a hit, but energy levels are at an all time high.
And doc may have some skeletons, but he delivered us a supreme court. So he’s still our guy.
And there you have it!! Boyle 98 trolls again in their finest hour. See for yourself folks. Now talking about Costas brother. Your all a disgrace. And if you want to start talking about target letters I guarantee you Boyle gets one first for his shady section 8 houses he accumulated through John connections with the building trades and PHA. Slum landlords and criminals. That’s what you get with Boyles and local 98 Irish mafia.
It took all of one day on the job and Kevin Doc was being questioned about Eakin.
Diano There is no poll!!
Ultimately Jay Costa would be insane to endanger Democratic held seats and potential pick ups to protect his brother’s drinking and other curricular activities buddy. Jay should be a grown up here and focus on his job of protecting Democatic seats. This is a D+13 seat…… Any investment is malpractice of the worst crony style imaginable.
Jeff D-
What poll?
107 is buying candidates again there must be trouble!!!!! FEDS once again in that local lets wait see the news should be out soon!!!!
Sabatina is down more than 20 points. He’s gonna get smoked. And after this race he won’t be able to fall back to judge with what’s going to come out on him.
@StopWagner So blaming Costa and Sabatina because the pig Boyle brothers who stand for nothing other than empowering a union thug Johnny Doc own a Mayor a Supreme Court justice and a Senator sounds reasonable to you? SDCC doesn’t need Johnny Doc in that caucus stirring up trouble they are already down seats. They’ll be down to 16. Frank Dermondy is a joke.
At least Sabatina is not the brother of another politician, and not GOP. Two points in his favor.
If one dime of SDCC’s precious resources is put into defending Sabatina’s seat at the expense of preventing a veto proof GOP majority Costa should be immediately removed from his leadership position. On april 26 we have a chance of winning the lean Dem Pileggi seat in chesco. We also will be defending in November seats in greater Johnstown and also greater Harrisburg……. It would be the embodiment of crony self interested politics to get involved here.
So hosting re-election fundraisers for the last two months didn’t count as officially running for re-election?