Blackwell office not in district

"Blackwell for Congress" signs are plastered all over the windows of 3927 Walnut Street, the former site of The Athletic Department sporting goods store. But isn't Thomas Foglietta the U.S. Congressman for the University area -- the 1st Congressional District? "It's weird," said 27th Ward Democratic Leader Kevin Vaughan about the mysterious appearance of the headquarters last month. So after mystifying area politicos and stultifying students, the question is asked: why is the headquarters for Lucien Blackwell's campaign for the 2nd District Congressional seat in the wrong district? After hesitating, a spokesperson for ex-City Council member Lucien Blackwell's Congressional campaign said he is "aware the headquarters are slightly outside the district." But the Walnut Street space does give the campaign the size they need to "run a field operation," said Blackwell spokesman Jim Davis. Vaughan said he thinks it is an "odd move" even though it is only two blocks outside of the 2nd District, because there is very little parking for people to stop and come in to pick up campaign literature and because the block has a reputation for crime. Davis defended Blackwell's move since the location "gives us good access to West Philadelphia, a large part of the 2nd Congressional District," and it is a highly trafficked area of people coming in and out of the district. Virtually all of West Philadelphia, except for the 27th Ward -- in which the University community lies -- is in the 2nd District. The 27th Ward is just beyond the southern edge of the 2nd District and is surrounded by the district on the north, east and west. 27th Ward Republican leader Matthew Wolfe said he was "surprised anyone noticed" that Blackwell's headquarters are in the wrong district. But he added that it is not a "big issue." It could mean that "he got a good deal on real estate," Wolfe said. Yet Vaughan is more critical than his Republican counterpart. "It doesn't send a great signal to the people of the district he wants to serve," said Vaughan. Beyond the mystery behind the placement of the headquarters, lies the candidate, Lucien Blackwell, and his campaign to win the Congressional seat left vacant by the retirement of William Gray this September. Blackwell, a former four-term City Council member and mayoral candidate this spring, has received the endorsement of the Democratic Party ward leaders and the party support that comes with it. The Democrats' strong grassroots organization is perceived by most pundits as an insurmountable advantage in the heavily Democratic 2nd District. "The conventional wisdom would say he's a shoo-in," Vaughan said. But Vaughan said the Congressional race is "too close to call right now." Last night, Blackwell said despite recent polls which show his opponents, State Senator Chakka Fattah and former State Welfare Secretary James White, running very close to him, he is going to win handily. Blackwell noted that in this spring's Democratic mayoral primary he won the precincts in the 2nd Congressional District with 50,000 votes. Speaking on domestic issues, Blackwell said "we have to reinvest in cities." "[We] have too many people in the streets, we're sending jobs to Japan and Mexico putting Americans out of work. We have to speak to these issues," he said. Blackwell said he is not a "public master," but a "public servant" who has served the area by getting the funding for the senior citizens center and public housing on 40th and Market Streets.

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