Former Fumo Aide Enters 13th (Conservative who can win enters House race in PA)

The Philadelphia Public Record ^ | August 7, 2003 | Anonymous

[AuH2ORepublican]

Former Fumo Aide Enters 13th

There could be a Seabiscuit among the entries in the 13th Congressional District Race.

With stellar Republican and Democratic candidates already announcing their intentions to fill the seat being vacated by Congressman Joseph Hoeffel, the field promises to bring excitement to Democratic and Republican voters in the next primary.

On the Republican side, they include Dr. Melissa Brown, who had made the run last time out, only to lose by four lengths (4,000 votes). This time she'll be wearing the colors of the Montgomery County Medical Society and the Pennsylvania Medical Society Political Action Committee, both of whom have endorsed her.

Rep. Ellen Bard, of Abington, has been training for the race early on with "feeler fundraisers." She, too, has been seeking the support of the medical profession, which is in the throes of a life and death struggle to save the healthcare industry in this state.

Joining the fray is seasoned campaign veteran and popular head of the Northeast Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce Al Taubenberger, who will be flying the Northeast's colors.

Democratic entries include highly favored four-term state senator Allyson Schwartz who has the early endorsement of Philadelphia Controller Jonathan Saidel. He pulled out of a bid for the seat, enthusiastically endorsing her candidacy. She joins a field that may include other top Democratic entries, Rep. Mark Cohen, Mike Driscoll, and possibly Rep. Mike McGeehan.

All have the credentials and are well known.

The "Seabiscuit" candidate in these crowded fields may well come from the Republican ranks.

He's already in training, making calls, raising dollar commitments and building a grass roots organization in his new turf of Whitemarsh. He's Christian Marrone, an assistant district attorney in Montgomery County and a neighbor of Dr. Brown. He's been wondering where she's been hiding since losing her race to Joe Hoeffel, while he and others have rebuilt the Republican Party in and around their township.

Though never a candidate, at the age of 28, he's had a long history of involvement in races on all levels. His entry into the race, yet to be made public, is considered by insiders to be the one reason why the big money investors in this campaign have not settled their bets on any GOP horse in the coming primary.

Brown could be considered the War Admiral in this race. Her colors include her directorship of the Center for Value-Based Medicine, a healthcare economic think tank with the mission of delivering quality, cost-effective care to all citizens. She is also an Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics at the University of Pennsylvania.

It's not well known, but Marrone ventured into politics at an early age, serving as special assistant to Senator Vincent Fumo. At that time the Philadelphia native, was a member of South Philadelphia's St. Monica Parish, a beehive of political activism. His tutors included Register of Wills Ron Donatucci and his godfather, former Councilman James Tayoun, as well as his own dad, Carmen Marrone, long time committee person in South Philadelphia's 1st and 48th wards.

After earning a law degree from Temple School of Law and the University of Pennsylvania's Fels Center of Government, Christian became a member of the Montgomery County District Attorney's office. His wife, Nicole, is the daughter of Sen. Fumo.

Having learned his political lessons in the heart of “Fumo Land,” Chris understands the territory he has to master and the people he needs to bring to his stable. He's already befriended many of them in earlier efforts.

Marrone feels he has a unique appeal. "I fit the mold of the voters of this district. It's overwhelmingly conservative and Catholic. Both Rep. Bard and Dr. Brown are moderate at best."

Marrone, who is supported by Bruce Castor, the Montgomery County DA and the county's largest vote getter, says a "number of Republican workers have already signed on, and we'll make their support official at the right time."

Marrone expects when he files the necessary paper work to formalize his campaign, he'll come in with big dollars early. "We understand money talks in a campaign, and pledges we've already received are enough to give us an edge over many of those aspiring for this office," he stated.

Marrone is noted for being a fundraiser. He successfully spearheaded such efforts for many candidates while working with Sen. Fumo. He adds, "I have the ability and know how to reach out. Mine will be an inclusive campaign. Everyone's welcome."

Initial inquiries are welcome, he notes, by calling 484-614-6702.

Marrone also brings a bit of stardom and glitter to his campaign. He believes his tenure as an offensive lineman on Joe Paterno's Penn State football team will be a plus.

"There are enough Nittany Lion alumni in this district to give me a comfortable lead," he said. Odds are that he is in this race to stay.

[AuH2ORepublican]

This guy sounds like a winner---well connected, a conservative Catholic from Philly, and an Assistant DA in Montgomery County. And you've got to love that name: Christian Marrone!

[Kuksool]

Isn't the PA-13 designed for a Ed Rendell type or a Arlen Specter type to win? I believe Bush, Santorum, and Mike Fisher lost the PA-13 in their election runs.

[AuH2ORepublican]

"Isn't the PA-13 designed for a Ed Rendell type or a Arlen Specter type to win?"

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Bush got 42% of the vote in 2000 in the 13th, but I think he'll carry it in 2004 because of Cold-War-era Republicans who left the party during the 1990s (because of social issues) returning to the fold over national security. It's a weird district, half urban and half suburban, with the Philly voters generally being socially conservative and economically liberal and the Montgomery voters being generally economically conservative and socially liberal. Pro-abortion RINO Melissa Brown got 48% against Congressman Hoeffel in 2002 (the first election under the new lines, and the first time Hoeffel faced voters within the city limits of Philly), and curiously received exactly 48% in both the Montgomery and Philly parts of the district (she did very well among traditional Democrats in Philly by pointing out Hoeffel's anti-sprawl record). I think Christian Marrone can win the seat by riding Bush's coattails on national security and stressing his economic and social conservatism against what is likely to be an extremely liberal RAT opponent. The hardest part may be beating Melissa Brown in the primary.

[AuH2ORepublican]

"I prefer conservative State Rep. Dennis "Denny" O'Brien."

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O'Brian has represented the same SE Philly constituency in the state house for 24 years. Could he bridge the urban-suburban gap and get a majority in the Montgomery County part of the district?

[Kuksool]

Do you know how much Santorum won by? Perhaps, the PA-13 voters in 2000 were disgusted by Ron Klink's pro-life, pro-gun positions. They figured, why settle for a "conservative-lite", when you could get the real thing in Rick Santorum.

[Kuksool]

Do you know how much Santorum won by? Perhaps, the PA-13 voters in 2000 were disgusted by Ron Klink's pro-life, pro-gun positions. They figured, why settle for a "conservative-lite", when you could get the real thing in Rick Santorum.

[AuH2ORepublican]

"Perhaps, the PA-13 voters in 2000 were disgusted by Ron Klink's pro-life, pro-gun positions."

---

The Philly part of PA-13 has no problem with pro-life candidates, since it voted overwhelmingly for pro-life Democrat Bob Borski for 20 years. In fact, Borski's district (as drawn in the 1990s) gave George H.W. Bush 48% of the vote in 1988 (DJ, correctme if I'm wrong), which means that well over 50% of the Philly voters currently in the district voted for Bush in 1988 (the 2002 redistricting placed Borski's most heavily minority and Democratic precincts in Fattah's and Brady's districts). The Montgomery part of the district tends to be pro-abort, but they are much closer to Santorum than to Klink on economic issues.

[AuH2ORepublican]

"I think that an urban conservative is the only type of conservative that can win since his base is in the conservative part of Philly"

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You may be right, but I think that Marrone can appeal to urban voters because (i) he was born and raised in Philly and (ii) his father-in-law is longtime Philadelphia Democrat state senator Vincent Fumo. Marrone is also relatively well known in Montomery from his work as Assistant DA there. In this hybrid, neither-fish-nor-fowl district, it may take a half-urban, half-suburban conservative such as Marrone to win.

Do you think O'Brien will run? If he did, he would have to give up his state house seat, and the field is so crowded (there is already another Philly candidate, Al Taubenberger, who finished second to Brown in the primary last time, and more candidates may be coming) that it may be a fool's errand for O'Brien to enter the race.

[fieldmarshaldj]

According to Barone, GHW Bush won 51% in 1988 under the 1983-93 lines. Under the 1993-2003 lines, GHW Bush won 52%, but the % of the vote for Republicans declined dramatically afterwards. We'll definitely need a Christian Marrone type who can appeal to the urbanites that made up Borski's old bailiwick. We've run a lackluster Conservative (Jon Fox) and 2 unimpressive RINOs (Greenleaf, Brown) in that seat, and I think it's time to run a hard-charging Conservative again. I really don't think Brown can beat Borski if he chooses to make a comeback, and I believe he will.

[Torie]

The bad news, is that you are wrong as hell. Per my copy of Barone, Bush lost in 2000 under the old lines 53% to 46%. Under the new lines, Bush lost 56% to 42%. The good news is that Bush's performance understated GOP strength by maybe 2-5% in the Philly suburbs. Thus subtract maybe 4% to 10% from the Gore margin. Thus the seat is in fact marginally Dem, all things being equal. It is also complex, in that it combines the lower middle class Catholic white portion of Philly with much more upscale and more Jewish and Wasp suburbs.

[Torie]

Oh sorry, you meant Bush pere. A lot of water has run under the bridge since then, in places such as this district. You can't go home again.

[Torie]

Are you sure Santorum won it as now drawn? That would amaze me.

[Torie]

You may well be right. Bush lost Montgomery by 10%, and Santorum carried it by 10%, with is a huge 10% swing.

[Lancey Howard]

This is one of the most confusing articles I have ever read.

Either Marrone doesn't talk anymore to all the scumbag socialist Democrats he grew up with, or he is the ultimate Democrat mole. He's married to Fumo's daughter?!?

A "conservative Catholic", huh?
I wonder where Mr. Marrone stands on, say, abortion?
How about gun control?

Does this guy have a website?
I think I would be very, very careful to thoroughly check out this guy's bona fides if I was a Republican voter over in Montgomery County.