Abington man gets nod for 13th District seat

Bucks County Courier Times ^ | 2/9/2010 | MARGARET GIBBONS

[dirtboy]

Montgomery County Republicans on Monday night tapped an Abington businessman to carry their party's standard in this year's effort to topple three-term Democratic incumbent Allyson Y. Schwartz from her 13th District congressional seat.

With six candidates battling, it took some 300 GOP committee members and proxy voters to award their endorsement to Dee Adcock, 58, who heads one of the biggest independent swimming pool suppliers in the country.

Adcock fought off a determined bid by Dr. Damian Dachowski, a 47-year-old dentist from Lower Moreland and a member of the county health board.

While only one vote separated the pair in the first vote, political newcomer Adcock pulled ahead in a faceoff against Dachowski in the second vote, garnering 173 endorsement votes to Dachowski's 119 votes.

Dachowski, who is married to Montgomery County Commissioner Chairman James R. Matthews' niece, said he would support Adcock rather than pursue his own candidacy.

[dirtboy]

Looks like the Montco GOP endorsed a limited-government small businessman to run against Dem toady Allyson Schwartz. Hopefully the Tea Party can fall behind this guy and topple Schwartz in November.

[Tribune7]

ping

[rstrahan]

One more time - let the PEOPLE decide. Back-room deals picking candidates is always a bad idea. They need to change their method of candidate selection. One big reason is that it allows the candidates to create name recognition within the district much earlier through a primary process.

[dirtboy]

This is the Montco GOP endorsement to run in the primary. Other candidates can still file and run against the endorsed choice.

[Think free or die]

I attended two candidates' forums and heard all 6 of these contenders. I had a good impression of Adcock. In terms of demeanor and appearance, he reminds me of Jerry Ford - dignified and a bit grandfatherly. I know someone who has known him for years (her father works for the firm) and she speaks very highly of his intelligence and ethics. During one forum he brought up how effectively the recession of the early 1920's was handled. Not the usual politician. My greatest concern would be that he's a bit quiet and needs to be sure he projects sufficient energy and engagement.

I'd rather see a solid primary with all of them getting out in front of the voters. Unfortunately, Montgomery County is still wedded to its wheeling and dealing. There are definitely winds of change here though, and I think that it's heading in the right direction.

[dirtboy]

I think there is something to be said, in this job slump triggered partially by DC, to having an accomplished businessman running for office - he would know from experience what stimulates jobs and what kills them. Josh seems like a decent enough guy, but he’s a lawyer, and we have too many of those in DC as it is. I think if Adcock was contrasted against Schwartz as a job creator versus a job killer, it could resonate.

[dirtboy]

I'd rather see a solid primary with all of them getting out in front of the voters.

That will probably happen, the Philly GOP is backing Haughton - the extremely corrupt Philly GOP that makes the Montco GOP look like Eagle scouts. And I think Quinter might stay in as well, he has a lot invested at this point.

However, the problem with a contested primary is that Schwartz has a big fat war chest, and money spent winning the primary is money not available to direct at her. I think Adcock is clean and appealing to both the Tea Party types and working stiffs who are not otherwise engaged, I don't think a lawyer and a guy backed by the Philly GOP are the best options this year.

[Think free or die]

"I don't think a lawyer and a guy backed by the Philly GOP are the best options this year. "

I agree. I didn't have a good feeling about the firefighter. He strikes me as a hothead, and the way he skipped over some of his personal history, I suspect there are some skeletons in those closets. Just a feeling after a few decades on this 3rd rock from the sun.

Quinter is probably OK, but I'm not enthusiastic about him. Partly it's because I'm sick of lawyers, partly it's because he didn't project a passion for his country, partly it's his youth, and partly it's because he sounded to me like he was giving rehearsed answers rather than talking from personal experience, conviction and deep knowledge.

Of the three of them, Adcock has also been much more involved in his community as a volunteer and seems to live conservative values, not just talk about them during an election cycle. I see him resonating with people who are sick of corruption and superficiality.

The Schwartz warchest is an issue. We have our work cut out for us.

[dirtboy]

Of the three of them, Adcock has also been much more involved in his community as a volunteer and seems to live conservative values, not just talk about them during an election cycle.

I've driven past Adcock's business on Philmont Ave. on my commute for the past two years. He often has pithy conservative-tinged sayings on the sign in front, so he clearly felt this way before running for office. It's actually how I found he he was running for office, he had Adcock for Congress on that sign.

[dirtboy]

I feel the same way about Quinter - I’ve never seen him in person, but just his presentation on the web strikes me as a lawyer seeing politics as the next logical step in his career ambitions. Whereas Adcock has a quite sizeable business already, and IMO he sees politics as a call to duty during these trying times.

[dirtboy]

Dee Adcock working to take on Allyson Schwartz come November.