Local candidates labor for successes on election day

With hotly contested Congressional and gubernatorial elections grabbing all the headlines in this election season, local elections have been virtually ignored. But a dedicated corps of state assembly and state senate candidates continue to labor, often in obscurity, to get to Harrisburg. It is these candidates that may ultimately have the greatest impact on West Philadelphia and on the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. In the Seventh State Senate district, which includes all University dormitories, Democratic State Representative Vincent Hughes faces Republican Michael Duncan. Incumbent Seventh District State Senator Chaka Fattah is running for the U.S. House of Representatives. Hughes, a former employee and union organizer at the University, is in his fourth term as a state representative and is heavily favored in this Democratic-dominated district. "I think we got to deal with rebuilding the neighborhoods and rebuilding communities," Hughes said. "We have to start getting state government to make it easier to get the job done in terms of neighborhood revitalization." Hughes also said he plans to work on educational reform. Confident that his victory is assured, he said he is looking forward to the increased influence he will have as a state senator. "I think the magnitude and the impact are significantly different [in the Senate] and I can't minimize that," he said. "The odds are a lot better being one out of 50 than one of 200." In the 186th Assembly district, which includes Hill House and the southeast corner of the University, third-term Democratic incumbent Representative Harold James takes on Republican Anthony Meglio, an area attorney. James, a retired Philadelphia Police officer, said he has made crime prevention one of his key initiatives in the state assembly, serving as a subcommittee chairman on crime and the judiciary. He added that he will continue to work to improve urban safety. James also said that if re-elected he will work to improve economic empowerment in the area and try to improve decaying local housing. Meglio also said he wants to improve the local economy. "Things are going from bad to worse in this area over the last 10 years," he said. "We need more businesses in the area. We need to get a tax break to get more industry into Pennsylvania." The 188th Assembly district is defined by a choppy line that runs through the middle of campus. The Quadrangle, Stouffer College House, High Rise North, DuBois College House, the Graduate Towers and Kings Court/English House are all within the district. Democratic incumbent State Rep. James Roebuck, a former Drexel University professor, is battling Republican Herman Carden, a retiree and former GOP ward leader, to keep control of his seat in the 188th. Roebuck said he wants to address a whole range of issues, all involving the quality of life in West Philadelphia and University City. These goals include improving education, working for stricter liquor enforcement laws and reforming health care and housing policy. In the 195th Assembly district, which borders the University, Democratic incumbent Frank Oliver takes on Republican challenger David Thomsen. Thomsen said he has been instrumental in eliminating voter registration fraud in the area and accused his opponent of not accomplishing anything in Harrisburg. He also said he would work to make Pennsylvania's tax structure more business-friendly if elected. Oliver could not be reached for comment.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.