Payton Faces Primary Fight

Payton faces primary fight
Caucus endorses new challenger in 179th
By William Rice; Staff Writer

When state Rep. Tony Payton (D-179) first ran for office two years ago, he faced a strong, concerted effort to defeat his campaign by the local Democratic Party. And it looks like Payton's struggles with local party leaders are far from over.Over the weekend, the Democratic Caucus-made up of leaders from the 23rd, 35th, 42nd, 43rd, 49th, and 62nd wards-voted to endorse a new candidate, Guy D. Lewis, in the upcoming election over the incumbent Payton.

"Guy is a genuine leader with a proven record in and outside the district," said Dan Savage, leader of the 23rd ward. "I am looking forward to working with someone who understands the district and cares for the people."

Despite being spurned by local ward leaders, Payton was able to pick up some major endorsements, including one from Gov. Ed Rendell in recent weeks.

"I find it unfortunate that the endorsement process disregards policy ideas, legislative accomplishment and commitment to district residents," Payton said. "If this were about the issues, I am confident that I would have received the endorsement."

Payton first ran for office at the age of 25 in 2006, after the retirement of long-standing state Rep. William Reiger. Following the Reiger retire ment, the local Democratic Party endorsed Emilio Vazquez, 39, a ticket-writer for the Philadelphia Parking Authority, for the seat. Payton was initially supportive of Vazquez's candidacy, but quickly changed his mind after a number of phone conversations he had with the party candidate whom he found "disappointing."

Some party officials were upset with Payton's decision to run, stating he was too young and inexperienced to hold the seat.

Vazquez was later disqualified from the May 2006 primary for failing to list his job with the Parking Authority on his financial disclosure forms, leaving Payton as the only choice. In response, Vazquez and party officials stepped up a massive write-in campaign-providing ink-pads and rubber stamps with Vazquez's name on it at various locations-that resulted in a loss to Payton by 19 votes.

Despite the loss, Vazquez took the issue to court, stating that 52 write-in votes he received for committeeperson in the 19th district, 23rd ward should have counted toward his state representative tally. Although the Court of Common Pleas initially ruled in Vazquez's favor, Payton won on appeal, with Commonwealth Court Judge Keith B. Quigley stating that the election code requires that voting-machine results be considered accurate, unless there is a strong indication that the machines malfunctioned or that voters were misled. And in this case, Quigley ruled, voters had simply supported Vazquez for the wrong office, and, as no accusations were made otherwise, were not victims of either malfunctioning machines or international misinformation.

Payton went on to overwhelming win the general election in the strongly Democratic 179th district.

During his first term in office, Payton was able to become secretary of the Tourism and Recreational Development Committee, and a member of the Consumer Affairs, Health and Human Services, Transportation, and Urban Affairs Committees. He has also introduced two pieces of legislation on education reform-one that would create the Pennsylvania Youth Commission and another to create the REACH Scholarship Initiative, which would provide free tuition and fees to any state system university to all high school students who maintain a 3.0 grade point average and 90 percent attendance record.

"It's a new day and a new way in Philadelphia politics, and my campaign will advance a positive message which is focused on the issues," Payton said. "I will be talking to voters about the role I've played with the REACH scholarship initiative, job training programs, traffic safety on Roosevelt Boulevard, funding arts and culture programs, and a multitude of other issues."

Payton's primary opponent, Lewis, 53, is a decorated officer in the United States army and a veteran of the Persian Gulf War who works at Temple Hospital and teaches part-time in the Mid-Atlantic consortium charter school system. He is a graduate of Temple University, where he received his bachelor of science in nursing, and of Saint Joseph's University, where he received his master's degree in health education.