County GOP votes for open primary

Optimism is high among Republicans this election, a party official said.

Acceding to the wishes of the perceived front-runner, former Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick, the Bucks County Republican Committee voted not to endorse a candidate for Congress Thursday night, the first time it has done so.

"An open primary is the best forum to encourage a thoughtful exchange of ideas on how to move this county, and this country, forward," Fitzpatrick told the group of committee executives at their packed Doylestown headquarters. "We all need to recognize that in 2010 we need to be good listeners as well as good leaders."

That was a reference to local tea party groups who have called on Republican leadership not to endorse in the 8th District.

Anastasia Przybylski, co-founder of the conservative Kitchen Table Patriots, called the open primary "a step in the right direction. The real point of having a committee is to get the vote out, not to endorse."

Przybylski said an endorsement would have had a "negative effect" on Fitzpatrick's campaign and showed "the local Republican Party is out of touch with its constituents."

Instead the committee gave what Pat Poprik, vice chairwoman of the Bucks GOP, called an "overwhelming" vote not to endorse.

"The committee people respect the climate right now," she said, adding that in screening meetings Fitzpatrick had obtained the most votes. "Ultimately, the committee respected Mike's request, and wish all the candidates good luck."

Last week, Bucks Democrats also voted not to endorse in the 8th District race, where two-term incumbent Patrick Murphy will likely be the nominee.

Bucks Democrats also didn't endorse for the U.S. Senate, governor and lieutenant governor. Republicans make those selections at the state committee level.

Competing with Fitzpatrick for the GOP nomination are Gloria Carlineo, a Republican committeewoman in Solebury Township; Ira Hoffman of Solebury, a financial adviser as president of Hoffman Wealth Solutions; James Jones, a retired decorated disabled veteran of three wars and small business owner in Langhorne; and Tom Lingenfelter of Doylestown, a historical documents dealer.

Hoffman said his three key themes include reinvigorating American enterprise, slashing wasteful spending and securing America from terrorism.

Jones arrived late from another meeting and Carlineo and Lingenfelter didn't show for the event.

When Fitzpatrick entered the race on Jan. 23, he was the 10th candidate to do so. Two days later, he called for the open primary.

"I came into the race late and I want to encourage the other candidates to stay in and give them the full and fair platform for their ideas," he said. "We'll all benefit from it."

The party endorsed all four of its incumbent state senators - Stewart Greenleaf, Chuck McIlhinney, Bob Mensch and Tommy Tomlinson - and incumbent state representatives - Paul Clymer, Gene DiGirolamo, Frank Farry, Bernie O'Neill, Scott Petri, Marguerite Quinn and Kathy Watson.

They also endorsed three candidates to take on Democratic incumbents for state House in the 31st, 140th, and 141st - Rob Ciervo, Jane Burger and Rick Eccles, respectively.

Winning endorsements for the state committee were eight women - Maryann Barnes, Heather Cevasco, Mary Ann Groninger, Judith Guise, Barbara Krantz, Poprik, Jane Wenda and Nicole Waltman; and eight men - Joe Cullen, Skip Goodnoe, Fred Gudknecht, George Komelasky, James McCullen, Thomas Panzer, Joe Szafran and Joe Volk.

Poprik she has never seen the optimism so high in the Republican ranks. "The enthusiasm is incredible," she said.