The presidential election isn't the only race on the Nov. 8 ballot in which many voters aren't particularly excited about their choices. There's also Philadelphia's First and Second Congressional Districts, where the most qualified candidates have checkered records.
Slideshow Inquirer Editorial: Philly Democrats Brady and Evans reluctantly endorsed for Congress
Bob Brady is seeking a 10th term to represent the First District, which includes South Philadelphia and parts of Delaware County. He faces Republican Debbie Williams, who lost previous races for Congress and City Council.
Against stiffer competition, Brady's unremarkable congressional record might mean trouble. His district is one of the poorest in America. The longtime boss of the city Democratic Party also has kept that creaky machine chugging along despite a string of corruption convictions involving judges and other elected officials he steered into office.
Fortunately for Brady, Williams' candidacy is hard to take seriously. Her resume includes a patchwork of short-tenured jobs: insurance agent, personal trainer, legal assistant, retail clerk, and actress. She wants to bring more economic opportunity to the district, but exhibits little ability to do that.
Given one more chance, BOB BRADY may become the congressman that the poor First District needs.
Veteran Democratic State Rep. Dwight Evans is running in the Second District, which covers much of Philadelphia and the Lower Main Line, to replace Chaka Fattah, who was convicted earlier this year on federal fraud and racketeering charges in a scheme to pay off a debt involving an illegal campaign contribution.
Evans' opponent, businessman James Jones, a Vietnam war veteran, is yet another sacrificial lamb offered up by city Republicans. That his top campaign advisor is former State Sen. Milton Street, a perennial candidate for various elective offices who was convicted of violating federal tax laws, hardly commends Jones. Then there's the paltry $1,535 that the GoFundMe website says Jones has raised for his campaign.
Evans did not receive the Inquirer's endorsement in the Democratic primary because his commendable early record as a state legislator has been tarnished by his relationship to a nonprofit he founded that came under scrutiny by state investigators for mismanaging millions of dollars in state grants. Federal investigators poked around too, but never brought charges.
Evans also was criticized by this newspaper in 2011 for reportedly using strongarm tactics to get the School Reform Commission to give a charter school company he favored the contract to manage Martin Luther King High School. That said, his background and genuine desire to make the Second District a better place to live make DWIGHT EVANS the better choice.
Perhaps unsuccessful runs for governor and mayor changed Evans. Or his losing chairmanship of the Appropriations Committee when Republicans took over the state House in 2010. But Evans could be an outstanding congressman if he returns to being the earnest policy wonk who fought to revitalize West Oak Lane and helped recruit John Timoney to be the city's police commissioner.
The Inquirer's reluctant endorsements of Brady and Evans are an indictment of city Democrats and Republicans for not giving voters better choices.
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