Lancaster County Democratic Committee

Hillary Rodham Clinton struck a publicly defiant posture, while some of her advisers acknowledged privately that they remained unsure abouther candidacy.

House Republicans threw up repeated roadblocks to delay debate of the legislation, prompting an angry argument between party leaders over procedural tactics.

Senator Barack Obama won a commanding victory in the North Carolina primary on Tuesday and lost narrowly to Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton in Indiana. The results will boost his momentum and renew calls for Clinton to quit the race.

The results from the two primaries assured that Mr. Obama would widen his lead in pledged delegates over Senator Clinton. He also increased his lead in the popular vote in winning North Carolina by more than 200,000 votes. Read more...

Yesterday, the state House unanimously adopted a resolution (H.R. 726) introduced by state Rep. Mike Sturla, D-Lancaster, that recognizes May 6, 2008, as World Asthma Day in Pennsylvania. This year’s theme is “You Can Control Your Asthma.” Read more...

A bill intended to amend the state constitution to ban gay marriage and strip away rights for domestic partnerships for both straight and same-sex couples failed in the Senate caucuses last evening, May 6, 2008.

The Senate was advised the bill would not see any action once it reached the state House, so its sponsor, Sen. Mike Brubaker, agreed to table it.

Senate sources said head counts done in closed-door caucus meetings made it apparent the measure as proposed would likely not have the votes to pass. The proposal sought to define marriage as a union between one man and one woman and that no "functional equivalent of marriage" would be recognized in the Commonwealth. Read more...

Barry Russell, spokesman for Rainbow Rose Community, a Lancaster based civil-rights coalition, said during a telephone interview that he was pleased by the Senate's refusal to bring the constitutional amendment to the full Senate. Russell had led the Lancaster County bus trip yesterday to lobby both Senators and Representatives to defeat the so called, "Marriage Amendment".

Several Lancaster County churches and faith-based groups, civil rights groups, and service organizations strenuously opposed the discriminatory legislation and had organized and participated in local rallies to defeat the measure.

As the rally to defeat the "Marriage Amendment" was in progress yesterday at noon, Senator Mike Brubaker's constitutional amendment was approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee by a vote of 18 - 8. A full Senate vote can occur as soon as today.

Yesterday, there were approximately 400 people who opposed the proposed Marriage Amendment in the Capitol rotunda. Senators Connie Williams, Jim Ferlo and Vince Fumo spoke against the bill, as well as Representatives Babette Josephs, Dan Frankel and Mike O'Brien. Senator Wayne Fontana and Representatives Steve Nickol, David Steil, Kathy Manderino and Mike Gerber were also in attendance.

Legislators, staffers and citizens heard and saw the rally. In fact, legislators said that they could hear the chants of "STOP THIS BILL" on the House floor.

Lancaster Democrats Lose two Friends - Milton S. Goldstein and Harold Sommers

Two lifetime friends of Lancaster's Democratic Party passed away on Friday, May 2nd. Harold Sommers and Milt Goldstein have been activists in the party for decades.

Harold Sommers served as Lancaster City Treasurer in the early 1990's and Lancaster County Democratic Committee Chairman in the 80's. Read more...

Milt Goldstein became the president and owner of the former Empire Shoe Manufacturing Company in Elizabethtown. Through his work in the shoe industry, in 1974, Goldstein was appointed by the secretary of Commerce to the Industry Sector Advisory Committee on Leather and Leather Products. The committee advised the White House and testified before Congress on various trade issues.

Mr. Goldstein was also a leader in breaking down barriers in the workplace. He was among the first employers in Elizabethtown to hire Hispanic employees. Goldstein was instrumental in the hiring of the first African-American professor at Elizabethtown College. For his efforts to fight racism and bigotry he was awarded numerous honors by local and national organizations. Read more...

The annual MTDC Yard Sale will be held May 17th at the home of Todd Baxter, 1723 Lititz Pike. Because the Lancaster County Democratic Women's Association has canceled their yard sale, the Manheim Twp. Dems are offering the same table rentals to those folks that intended to display at the Dem Women's event.

Space will be provided on sidewalks from 1717 to 1723 Lititz Pike. Vendors and club members who wish to store items for the yard sale, may drop them off at the barn behind Todd's house prior to the event. Call Todd at 569-0856 or email at datobaxter@aol.com.

The Penn Manor Dems ask you to stop by and show your support for two of the County's candidates, Bruce Slater and Jose Urdaneta on Sunday May 18th. The Open House will be held at the home of Judy and Bill Saylor, 310 N. George St. in Millersville, PA. Festivities will begin at 1:30 PM. Read more...

Bruce Slater (above right) is the endorsed Democratic Congressional candidate running in the 16th Congressional district. View website...

Jose Urdaneta (above left), Lancaster City councilman, is the endorsed Democratic candidate running for the PA 13th Senate district. Jose has just been endorsed by Democratic County Commissioner, Craig Lehman. Get Directions...

The Chad Buffington collection of watercolors drew accolades from visitors to the Underground for First Friday held on May 2nd. Micky Smith entertained guests with folk songs and sing-a-longs.

Watercolors flow with ease from the brush of Chad Buffington, a self-taught artist adept in multiple media. His faithfully-rendered portraits have made him a favorite with local institutions for commissioned work that graces their walls. His portrait of Pennsylvania Academy of Music Founders Frances Veri and Michael Jamanis will soon be on permanent display in the new Pennsylvania Academy of Music Building in downtown Lancaster. Read more...

The Value All Families Coalition presents a Rally for ALL Families on May 5, 2008 at 1pm in the State Capital Rotunda.

Lobbying training will be at 11am. For more information, contact Equality Advocates Pennsylvania, 215-731-1447 x10 or visit www.equalitypa.org. For information about the bus being leaving from Lancaster for the Harrisburg event, contact Rainbow Rose Community at email... The bus will be leaving the A.C. Moore parking lot at 8:45, Monday. Read more...

$786 million in tax relief coming to homeowners and southeast PA wage-tax earners this summer, about $190 on average for homeowners and even more help for the low-income senior homeowners who need it the most.

Homeowners can see the estimated amount of tax relief they’ll receive in this initial distribution on the DOE Web site at www.pde.state.pa.us/proptax.

Only half of the state’s planned slots gaming facilities are open. Soon there will be seven more facilities to add revenue to the Property Tax Relief Fund. The House also has approved a change to the state’s constitution that would set up the groundwork for our ultimate goal: the total elimination of school property taxes in the Commonwealth.

The House Democrats continue to work with the PA Senate to help resolve the issues that matter most to Pennsylvanians: health care, energy, property tax relief, economic development and a successful education system for all PA kids.

Republicans hold a 1.8 to 1 voter registration lead in Lancaster County. But on Tuesday, primary election day, they polled only 42,121 votes for President for a turnout of 24.4%, while 49, 836 Dem voted for President for a turnout of 53.2%.

Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have motivated Democrats, Republicans and Independent voters in every state that has held a primary to get out, register and vote. In almost every state, the Democratic turnout has out paced Republican turnout by 2 to 1 and 3 to 1.

In Lancaster County, the Democrats have added almost 12,000 new voters to the Democratic roll. Many are new voters, but a good portion were Independents and Republicans who have switched parties. The Republican Party won't easily win them back without major changes in policy. Changes which will bring them in line with the values Democrats have always held; family, community, and a shot at the American Dream. Read more...

The Intelligencer Journal reported yesterday that the top presidential delegate vote getters will go to the Democratic National Convention in Denver at the end of August. That is incorrect.

Top Male and Female Presidential Delegates Elected in the 16th Congressional District

Clinton Delegates		Obama Delegates

Lois Herr	Ben Donahower	Mike Sturla	Carol Hunt

The 16th Congressional District, which includes all of Lancaster County, the western half of Chester County and the southeastern corner of Berks County including a portion of Reading city, is allocated four delegates to the national convention. The number of delegates per Congressional district is determined by population.

Because neither Clinton nor Obama received more than 75% of the vote in the primary election in this district, each will be allocated two delegates. Under DNC rules, one of the delegates for each candidate must be female and the other male. Therefore the female and male who received the most votes for each candidate is selected to attend the convention.

Bruce Slater, the Democratic Candidate for Congress in the 16th district which covers all of Lancaster County and part of Berks and Chester Counties, out-polled Joe Pitts, the Republican incumbent, by 9000 votes.

Slater was helped by high Democratic voter turnout and relatively low Republican turnout. In some precincts, Democratic turnout was two and three times higher than that of Republicans.

However, Pitts has problems within his own party. Many Republicans withheld their votes for the 5-term congressman.

Republicans are displeased with his votes against child health insurance, his anti-environmental record, his support of the Bush War in Iraq and his abandonment of traditional fiscal conservatism. Pitts voted for the largest deficit creation budgets in history.

Slater said in an interview last evening, "I thank all the Democratic voters who voted for me today. But, we are facing a 1.8 to 1.0 Republican voter registration edge in Lancaster County and we must get the word out to our friends and neighbors who are Republican, many who share our values and issues. Joe Pitts votes against us. He votes against children, against retirees and against working families in our district consistently. The only way to stop the bleeding of our money from our pockets to his rich friends' hands, is to beat him in November."

View Joe Pitts' voting record and campaign contributors at Bruce Slater's website:
www.slaterforcongress.com.

Jose Urdaneta out-polled all four of the Republican candidates for the 13th PA senate district that includes the southern half of Lancaster County and a small portion of western York County. Urdaneta, endorsed by the county party, ran unopposed on the Democratic ballot and received 19,791 votes. The four Republican candidates for the senate district received 18,929 votes.

Republicans hold a substantial voter registration edge Lancaster County, but Jose's district covers both the city and Manheim Township and the city is blue and the township is turning blue.

State Representative, Mike Sturla, ran unopposed in the Democratic primary for the 96th state house seat. He garnered over 7100 votes. Mike is unopposed in the general election.

Newcomer Daniel Stephenson (right) out-polled his Republican counterpart, David Hickernell, by receiving 4563 votes compared to the Republican's 4361. Stephenson and Hickernell will face off in the November general election for the 98th state house seat.

Rob McCord won handedly in the race for State Treasurer yesterday. McCord wins the Treasurer's slot on the Democratic ticket in November by 300,000 votes. Cordisco, although endorsed by the Lancaster County Democratic Committee, came in third within the county behind McCord and Jennifer Mann.

From the Chairman: "Our goal was to increase our registrations by 10,000 from December 2007 thru November 2008. We've already increased by almost 12,000 and we have seven more months to go! Republicans in the county now have a margin of less than two to one, where it was almost three to one only twelve years ago. Democrats have broken thru the 30% ceiling for the first time in history. Our new goal is to reach 100,000 registered Democrats by General Election Day. Read more...

The Lancaster County Elections Board reports a record 93,657 voters are now registered as Democrats. This is 11,901 more Democrats. The Party has exceeded its goal by almost 2000 registered voters.

During the period between last year's general election and the cut off for the 2008 primary election, Democratic registration grew 3.3% while Republicans had a net loss of 3,367 voters (-2.2%) and "independents and others" lost 2,386 registered voters (-1.1%). View statistics...