Fumo faces unusual hurdles in primary

INQUIRER STAFF WRITER

In his 30 years in the state Senate, Vincent J. Fumo has faced primary opponents only twice before, and he beat each of them easily.

This year, he faces three challengers and is the only incumbent senator in the city who has been forced to fight for the Democratic Party nomination.

Behind Fumo's toughest-ever challenge is a belief that the powerful Democrat is especially vulnerable this year. And with some reason.

Fumo, 64, faces trial in September - just weeks before the general election - on a 139-count federal indictment charging him with corruption and fraud. Prosecutors allege that Fumo used his state staff and money from a neighborhood charity to support an opulent lifestyle and then orchestrated a cover-up after the FBI started asking questions.

His reelection bid also was complicated last week when he suffered a heart attack and had emergency surgery to put a stent in a blocked artery.

The dynamics of the race shifted on Tuesday, when the Democratic presidential fight between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama reached another standoff, making Pennsylvania a key battleground on April 22 and giving voters who might be expected to sit out a primary a reason to go to the polls.

Those voters, Fumo's opponents hope, might be more inclined to vote for a change.

Fumo, whose political skills are legendary, is showing no signs of giving up or that his health problems are anything more than a temporary setback.

Even from his hospital bed he was making calls about the campaign last week, said Ken Snyder, a strategist working for the senator.

While Fumo recovers, his opponents are gearing up their campaigns in what is considered one of the hottest primary races in the state.

Much of the heat has to do with the animosity between Fumo and electricians union leader John J. Dougherty, onetime allies who have been feuding for years, mostly through surrogates until now.

Dougherty formally announced his candidacy last week, joining Fumo, Center City lawyer Larry Farnese, and progressive reformer Anne Dicker in the race. Each is vying to represent the First Senatorial District, which stretches from Philadelphia International Airport to Port Richmond and covers Center City, Fairmount, Northern Liberties, and all of South Philadelphia, where the candidates either have roots or live.