The same Pennsylvania Democratic Party that helped drag Sen. John Fetterman across the election finish line last fall is facing turmoil within as officials have raised the alarm over “amateur hour” leadership.
“It’s a f*cking disaster.”
Dismal funding and overdue layoffs were among the issues expressed by members as they voiced their concern over the “total incompetent, lazy guy” at the top, state party chair and state Sen. Sharif Street, according to a new report from Politico.
The outlet spoke with 20 Democratic Party officials from across the commonwealth who offered something of a consensus: “‘It’s amateur hour,’ said a state committee member who, like other Democrats, was granted anonymity to speak frankly about a sensitive matter. ‘It’s a f*cking disaster,’ said a former state party staffer.”
Issues played out in various ways that included thousands of reminders printed out that listed the wrong date for Election Day in November and one political action committee having only $7,500 as of the end of June. Concern was also expressed over July layoffs that had gone unreported.
Democratic consultant Mike Mikus told Politico, “It’s concerning that the state party is laying people off as we’re heading into a really important Supreme Court race, which then leads into the presidential year. They’re going to have to figure out a path forward to build their own fundraising operation, and it sounds like there’s a lot of building to be done right now.”
Street acknowledged some issues and deflected others as he told the outlet, “I really should have done some of that trimming back last December. But they were people who had won so many elections. We have done things no other party did. And I couldn’t look at any of them in the face and say I wanted to let them go.”
“We’ve done things a little differently, and I know that may have ruffled some feathers with sort of the national chatterbox class. They weren’t exactly excited about my candidacy for chair for a lot of reasons,” he added.
As to funds, he lauded receipt of a $700,000 grant from democracyFIRST and said the federal PAC for the state party had $200,00 on hand after the most recent filing.
Still, the Keystone State played a pivotal role in both the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections, with electors being awarded to then-businessman Donald Trump in the former and then-former Vice President Joe Biden in the latter by little more than one percent. One senior Democrat elected official in Pennsylvania said, “Pennsylvania is the single biggest battleground state in the country in the presidential election, and we have a total incompetent, lazy guy who has no clue what he’s doing running the state party.”
Politico indicated there had been friction between the state party and a Biden re-election campaign joint-fundraising committee, Biden Victory Fund, as well as the Democratic National Committee, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, and state committees “over basic contracts that are essential to raise money and coordinate.”
In addition to the presidential election, Sen. Bob Casey (D) is up for re-election in 2024 in one of several races that could tip the balance of the Senate.
“Politics is like sports,” Street added to Politico. “We had a good record last year. We’ve been winning.”
Mikus sought a positive spin as well as he added, “It’s concerning, but at the same time, I’m going to keep it in perspective. It’s August and there’s plenty of time to right the ship.”
Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
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