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This 29-year-old could become Philadelphia’s only Republican senator

This 29-year-old could become Philadelphia’s only Republican senator

In a Senate district in Northeast Philadelphia that Democrats have held since the turn of the millennium, Republicans think a 29-year-old — who is not endorsed by the city’s Republican Party — has a chance to influence the race.

The Senate seat for Pennsylvania’s 5th District is held by Democratic State Sen. Jimmy Dillon, a former Notre Dame point guard who runs basketball academies in the city. A political newcomer, Dillon, 45, won a special election in 2022 to serve the remainder of former Sen. John Sabatina Jr.’s term. to fulfill after he left to serve on the Common Pleas Court.

Dillon is running against Joe Picozzi, a Georgetown University graduate who previously worked on Capitol Hill as a staffer for former House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.).

Registered Democrats outnumber Republicans 7-1 in Philadelphia, and few suggest Dillon doesn’t have a clear path to victory, even in the redder Northeast. There are more than 81,000 registered Democrats in the 5th District, compared to nearly 45,000 Republicans and just over 19,000 unaffiliated voters.

Still, Republican district leaders say Picozzi — a TikTok-savvy moderate with an anti-crime bent — is running an impressive ground game in an effort that is receiving financial support from state Republicans to take control of an up for grabs seat and maintain their hold on the Senate.

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Democrats also recognize the 5th District’s potential to swing, especially in a contentious election year when a presidential race will drive voters to the polls.

“Northeast Philadelphia, as does Bucks Countyis the epicenter of where the battle is happening,” said Brian Eddis, the Democratic leader of the 63rd Ward, located in the 5th District.

“People can be registered Democrats, they can be registered Republicans, but they really vote based on the individual issues that they generally support,” Eddis said.

If Picozzi wins, he would become the only Republican senator within Philadelphia city limits.

But Picozzi’s candidacy is unusual in that he is not endorsed by the Republican Party of Philadelphia, causing confusion among some Republican precinct leaders who view the race as competitive.

“When Republican voters come out to vote in November, (Donald) Trump will be at the top of the ballot… and when you get to that Senate race, it will be a blank slate,” said one Republican district leader, who requested anonymity from fear of retaliation, said in reference to the visibility of the parties’ statements of support. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Vince Fenerty, chairman of the Philadelphia Republican Committee, did not return a request for comment.

Picozzi’s name does not appear on the city committee’s website, while other candidates such as state Rep. Martina White, also from the Northeast, are endorsed.

Harrisburg Republicans, on the other hand, have not been shy in their support for Picozzi.

“Since entering the race early this year, Joe Picozzi has made it his priority to talk to voters about their concerns,” said Michael Straw, communications director for the Pennsylvania Senate Republican Campaign Committee, which is overseen by the Senate President. Pro Tempore Kim Ward. highest conservative in the House.

“…Northeast Philly is tired of the status quo. They want someone who addresses their concerns, such as runaway inflation and rising crime,” Straw said. “That’s why Joe has continued to gain momentum.”

As for Picozzi, campaign spokesman Gianni Matteo said he could not comment on why the city committee had refrained from making an endorsement.

But Matteo called the Republican state’s support a “great opportunity” for the party to back a “new type of Republican.”

“People often think that Republicans are people who argue about culture war issues … who are constantly looking back in time,” Matteo said. “Part of Joe Picozzi’s run for Senate is the fact that it is this new, dynamic form of conservatism that values ​​urban areas. They are the foundries of the future.”

The race was not without mud slinging.

Dillon came under fire last month Ten-year-old social media posts resurfaced with racist and homophobic language. Dillon had access to the account, which is dedicated to his Hoops 24-7 Basketball Academy, and was sometimes posted to the page in the first person.

However, the Democrat’s team suggested it was the coaching staff who posted the comments, not Dillon, and Dillon said the posts “do not reflect my values.”

Picozzi, meanwhile, has faced questions about his former leadership position in Georgetown’s Delta Phi Epsilon foreign service fraternity, a nonprofit whose longtime officer, Terrence Boyle, was sued by the D.C. Attorney General for using charitable funds for his own benefit in the 1990s.

Picozzi campaign mailers viewed by The Inquirer noted in bullet points that Picozzi did not become the fraternity’s president until two years after the charges were filed, and that the misconduct cited therein occurred decades before he arrived on campus.

Many Democrats in the district, including 57th Ward Leader Patrick Parkinson, are not convinced Dillon’s seat is in danger.

“I think if they think if Trump is on top, they have a chance,” Parkinson said of the Republican hopefuls. “But if you look at the party in Northeast Philly, we are more united than ever.”

Dillon is backed by a handful of unions — mainstream political forces in the Northeast — including chapters of the AFL-CIO, AFSCME and SEIU, as well as Planned Parenthood of Pennsylvania.

“I think they’re wasting money,” Parkinson said of state Republicans’ spending on Picozzi. “That’s good because it takes away from other parts of the state where they could potentially win.”