Free Republic

Montgomery County results explain Clinton's win TRIBUNE-REVIEW By: Salena Zito By all accounts, Pennsylvania's Montgomery County should have been Sen. Barack Obama's low-hanging fruit. From Norristown with its abundant black vote to the Main Line with its affluent well-off latte liberals, "Montco" was tailor-made for the Illinois senator. "I was shocked," said Karen Matthews, wife of GOP Montgomery County chairman Jim Matthews. Karen, who made her own news by switching to Democrat so she could vote for Obama, fully expected a big Obama win. "My only explanation is that people say one thing, and then do another," she said. Karen...

Jim Matthews betrays Republican voters By Tony Phyrillas, tphyrillas@pottsmerc.com "A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, is sly whispers rustling through the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself. For the traitor appears not a traitor; he speaks in accents familiar to his victims, and he wears their face and their arguments, he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in...

Alliance in Montco reflects party shift Republicans will share power. By Emilie Lounsberry Inquirer Staff Writer The surprise move by Republican Jim Matthews and Democrat Joe Hoeffel to share power as Montgomery County commissioners reflects a stunning reversal of fortune for the GOP. For decades, the county Republican Party enjoyed a reputation as an efficient and powerful political machine, demonstrated by its control of the courthouse for more than a century. But yesterday's bipartisan news conference showed that was no more - especially after Democrats won five of nine county row offices in November. Matthews will be chairman and Hoeffel...

by Mark Finkelstein August 17, 2006 - 22:56 If I ever knew that Chris Matthews' brother Jim Matthews is the Republican candidate for Lt. Governor of Pennsylvania, I had forgotten. Chris manifestly has not, and on this evening's Hardball peevishly berated another Republican who had the audacity to bring the fact to his attention. After interviewing Dem Congressman Jack Murtha, Matthews had Murtha's Republican challenger Diana Irey on as a guest. Before getting into substance, Matthews testily alluded to the fact that Irey's campaign manager had sent Matthews a press release with proposed questions for Murtha. First on the list:...

Swann endorses Matthews By: MARGARET GIBBONS, Times Herald Staff 12/22/2005 COURTHOUSE - Republican gubernatorial hopeful Lynn Swann is throwing his support behind the lieutenant governor candidacy of Montgomery County Commissioners Chairman James R. Matthews. In a letter sent this week to county GOP Chairman Ken Davis, Swann acknowledged his support for Matthews was twofold - that they were both on the same page philosophically and that Matthews' presence on the November election ballot would balance the GOP ticket. "Jim will also bring strength to the ticket in one of the most important battleground areas," said Swann in the letter. "I...