Chairman Of Delco Republican Party Responds To Write-In Campaign

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Andy Reilly, Chairman of the Delaware County Republican Party, attempted to quell a mutiny within the party prior to tomorrow's special election to fill a seat in the State House vacated this Spring by Paul Hackett in the 161st District. Lisa Esler, who failed to get the party's nomination, is a attempting a write-in campaign to thwart Republican nominee Paul Mullen in his race against Democrat Leanne Krueger-Braneky.

Esler is alleging impropriety in the selection process. Reilly told Dom Giordano on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT that any suggestion of wrongdoing is ridiculous.

"It's the same old nonsense. It's flat out slander. I was the head of the process when Lisa Esler and Paul called, I provided them both with the committee people's names and email addresses and they spoke to them all and sent their resumes and there was the electoral process. Sixty committee voted and Mullen got the vote by 55-5. There was some allegation that there was an email an hour ahead of time which is just crazy, ludicrous, conspiratorial nonsense. This is a community process voted on by elected committee people in the neighborhoods that represent the district."

He also said it is wrong that an advocacy group, the Citizens Alliance of Pennsylvania, is attacking Mullen's character and qualifications because he works for a union.

"I don't think he's lacking. I think there's been, by this special interest group, they basically are stereotyping him because he's a union official. I do not accept that just because someone is a member of a trade union that they're liberal."

Reilly believes all Esler's candidacy is doing is threatening the Republican's chances of retaining the seat in the state's House of Representatives that was held by Hackett.

"I have nothing against Lisa Esler, she's a Republican. I'm not going to badmouth another Republican. I'm just saying that there's a knee jerk reaction going on because Paul is the member of a union and I firmly believe that if enough people vote for Lisa, we're going to end up electing the most liberal Democratic State Representative in Delaware County."