New councilman: Democrat Ed Neilson, a state representative from the Northeast, took 79 percent of the vote in City Council at-large race. MARIA POUCHNIKOVA / TIMES PHOTO
The 13th Congressional District race is down to swimming pool company owner Dee Adcock, a Republican, and Democratic state Rep. Brendan Boyle.
Adcock, who gave a strong showing against Democratic Rep. Allyson Schwartz in 2010, defeated Beverly Plosa-Bowser, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel, with about 66 percent of the vote.
In Philadelphia, Adcock won 54 percent of the vote. He rolled up 71 percent in Montgomery County.
In a Facebook posting, Adcock thanked his volunteers and those who voted for him.
“I’d like to recognize Beverly Plosa-Bowser and her team for running a great race and appreciate her service to our country. Because of her efforts, we are a better and stronger team as we look toward November.”
In a Facebook posting, Plosa-Bowser said she did not have the money to make her case. She endorsed Adcock.
“I want to encourage everyone who supported my campaign to unite behind our party’s nominee.”
Boyle won a surprisingly easy victory in the Democratic primary, declaring victory at Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5 headquarters on Caroline Road.
Boyle, the only Philadelphian in the race, had about 41 percent of the overall vote, followed by former congresswoman Marjorie Margolies with 27 percent, state Sen. Daylin Leach with 17 percent and Dr. Val Arkoosh with 15 percent.
Boyle took almost 70 percent of the vote in Philadelphia. Margolies, who had the support of five ward leaders, was a distant second with 18 percent. Arkoosh took 8 percent, while Leach — who grew up in the city — managed just 5 percent.
Boyle did better in Montgomery County than he expected. He was running last, but taking about 16 percent of the vote. Margolies led the way with 35 percent, followed by Leach (27 percent) and Arkoosh (22 percent). All three live in the county.
The seat is open because Schwartz ran for governor. Schwartz is the only woman, Montgomery County resident and Jewish person in the Pennsylvania congressional delegation.
All four Democratic candidates were well funded, whether it came through traditional fundraising, contributions from their own fortunes or donations from super PACs.
In an email message to supporters, Margolies said, “My hope is that young women continue to take to the political playing field, to be fearless, to risk personal defeat in our collective attempt to get more women a seat at the table. I will never stop fighting to empower women, and I hope that you will not stop investing your time and resources in the talented women who will risk much to move all of us forward.”
Arkoosh wanted to bring a “different kind of voice to Congress.”
“I hope we can continue that same spirit working together to bring new people with new ideas to the table,” she wrote to supporters on Facebook.
Boyle portrayed his opponents as “Montgomery County millionaires.” In one of his mailings, the other three candidates were pictured on million-dollar bills.
The other three candidates questioned Boyle’s support of abortion.
After Boyle’s win, NARAL Pro-Choice America President Ilyse Hogue said, “Brendan Boyle spent much of this campaign tap dancing around votes he took that would throw roadblocks in front of women seeking reproductive health care, for one reason only: he knows those positions are losing ones. We’re proud of the work that we did to expose his true record to voters in his district, and we expect him to abide by his new-found commitment to these issues. He made promises to voters, and you can be sure we’ll be watching closely to see that he keeps them.”
Here is a rundown on the other races:
• 172nd Legislative District: Democratic Rep. Kevin Boyle won 92 percent of the vote against military veteran Jeffrey Voice.
• 173rd Legislative District: Democratic Rep. Mike McGeehan is not seeking another term.
The Republican candidate is Mike Tomlinson.
Mike Driscoll took 63 percent of the vote to best Dennis Kilderry (22 percent) and Paul DeFinis (16 percent) for the Democratic nomination.
“I’m thrilled,” Driscoll said. “I’ve always wanted to serve Northeast Philadelphia.”
• 202nd Legislative District: Longtime state Rep. Mark Cohen beat back an aggressive challenge from local civic association leader Jared Solomon to win the Democratic Party’s nomination.
With all of the vote counted, Cohen, a Castor Gardens resident who has represented the district for 40 years, pulled 2,252 votes to Solomon’s 2,109.
• City Council at-large: Democrat Ed Neilson, a state representative from the Northeast, beat Republican Matt Wolfe, a lawyer and ward leader from West Philadelphia, and Libertarian Nikki Allen Poe.
Neilson took 79 percent of the vote, followed by Wolfe with 15 percent and Poe with 5 percent.
“I’m looking forward to working with Council President Darrell Clarke on the issues facing the city,” he said.
Neilson will represent the entire city.
“I’ve got to be in every community,” he said. “It’s very challenging, but I’m up to the challenge.”
Wolfe, who was endorsed by the Philadelphia Inquirer, will run again next year to try to win one of two seats guaranteed to the minority-party Republicans.
• Ballot questions: City voters decided to approve two changes to the Home Rule Charter. However, they rejected a proposed change that would have allowed city elected officials to remain on the job while they seek a higher office. By a count of 54 percent to 46 percent, the measure failed. Matt Wolfe was the leading opponent of the failed charter change, which he called a “power grab.”
• Governor: Tom Wolf easily won the Democratic primary and will face Gov. Tom Corbett, who was unopposed on the Republican side.
Wolf, a wealthy York County businessman and former secretary of the state Department of Revenue, won every county in the state.
With most of the votes counted, Wolf had 58 percent, followed by U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz (18 percent), State Treasurer Rob McCord (17 percent) and former state Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Katie McGinty (8 percent).
Schwartz, the early frontrunner, called Wolf to concede before she addressed supporters at a hotel in Center City Philadelphia.
“I wished him the best and told him he has my full support in beating Tom Corbett this November,” she said.
McGinty issued a statement on election night also backing Wolf.
“I want to congratulate Tom for running a great campaign and a well-earned victory tonight. And I want to make it clear right now — I wholeheartedly endorse Tom Wolf, and I will be all in to help Tom Wolf defeat Tom Corbett in November,” she said.
Wolf’s running mate will be state Sen. Mike Stack. Stack, of Philadelphia, started the election cycle going for his party’s gubernatorial nomination. He had a financial edge on the field of five, having carried over money from his Senate and governor accounts. He also was listed first on the ballot.
With almost all of the vote counted, Stack had 47 percent, followed by former congressman Mark Critz (16 percent), Bradford County Commission Mark Smith (15 percent), Harrisburg City Councilman Brad Koplinski (12 percent) and state Rep. Brandon Neuman (11 percent). ••
