Union leader enters race to unseat Fumo

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/home_region/20080307_Union_leader_enters_race_to_unseat_Fumo.html

Posted on Fri, Mar. 7, 2008

By Joseph A. Gambardello Inquirer Staff Writer

Electricians' union leader John J. Dougherty took his long-running feud with State Sen. Vincent Fumo (D., Phila.) to a more personal level yesterday, officially launching a campaign to unseat his former ally.

But in an 11-minute speech at a rally at the South Philadelphia rec center where he played as a child, Dougherty did not once mention Fumo by name.


ERIC MENCHER / Inquirer Staff Photographer
Electricians' union leader John J. Dougherty announces his candidacy for state Senate, with (from left) DeEnna Maiale, 12, Tania Hopper, 10, and Thomas Rafter, 8, joining him onstage.


Instead, surrounded by children from throughout the First Senate District, he spoke about the need for change and vowed he would revise state gun laws so that Philadelphia could regulate weapon sales on its own.

He even questioned legislation to limit gun sales to one a month, saying, "What the heck do you need a gun a month for?"

"I'm looking forward to that fight," Dougherty, 47, said to cheers of about 400 people - mostly members of various labor unions - packed into Edward O'Malley Athletic Center in Pennsport.

Dougherty had planned to hold the rally Tuesday, but postponed it after Fumo was hospitalized Sunday night with a heart attack.

FULL story at link.

[JackintheGreen]

1. I heart Dougherty, and I'm glad he's in

Until recently, i was very involved in unionization in Philly, and ol' John J. always reminded of rough and tumble Chicago politics.

OK, that might not be a good thing, but I still love him for it.