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Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Lentz Lunch

One of the nice things about working on a college campus is that you never know who you'll get to talk to or what you'll get to talk about before the day is over. Today I went to the grill for a quick sandwich and found Bryan Lentz there talking to a colleague. Bryan is our top-notch candidate for State Rep. in the PA-161, and I enjoyed the chance to sit with him and hear about how the campaign is going.

Bryan always impresses me whenever I run into him. He's a natural for politics, and I mean that in all the best possible ways. He first got my attention in November, when he contacted our Township Dems a few weeks before the local-only election. With nothing asked in return, he mobilized his volunteers to help us staff the polls. They didn't wear Lentz swag. They just showed up and worked their tails off for our candidates. "Right now, the most important thing we have to do is get Democrats elected," he told me. Bingo. Candidates need to ask for help, and I'm more willing than most to work for them. But you have to be impressed with a candidate who, in the big-money era of politics, scratches your back first.

Lentz has a lot of the good-guy charisma that reminds me of Ed Rendell, but without all the bluster. He's campaigning hard, wearing out shoes as he goes door-to-door across the district. While he's shown fund-raising prowess, the organization is running on the fuel of people power. I'm a grass-roots guy at heart.

It's a great moment to be an uppity blue in this area. Not only are things naturally trending in our favor with the slow dismantling of the famous Delco machine, but the candidates we're attracting are amazing. Having both Lentz and Joe Sestak, who is running for Congress in PA-07 against wacko Curt Weldon, makes our full slate into a dream team. Almost an embarrassment of riches. I've never been so excited about the ticket as I'm going to be this November.

If you're a Dem and you live in Southeastern PA, your time is now. There are great candidates practically growing on trees—men and women who you can be proud to be associated with. If you have a shred of hope that government can be better than the mess that the the so-called Republican revolution has created, get yourself to a candidate's web site or local headquarters and get to work. Do not sit this one on the sidelines.

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2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Eric-

I'd like to pass on a big thank you to you from Bryan. It's great to have your support. Let's keep in touch--we look forward to working with you for a big Democratic victory in November.

Thanks!
Daniel Leigh
Lentz for State House

12:57 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Oh, I do really like Bryan. I believe he was considering running in our district against Curt Weldon. We have Joe Sestak, whom I also like. I met him at that Ed Rendell thing at Bryn Mawr. My neighbor's always dragging me to stuff, so I'm sure I'll get a chance to meet him again.

3:58 PM  

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