And this year it just may be good enough to get elected to Congress. That really cuts to the heart of the issue: This wouldn't be a race if Runyan were a gym teacher.
But the 6-foot-7 Runyan played for the beloved Philadelphia Eagles. Indeed, he was one of the best offensive tackles in the NFL. Kevin Kolb probably wishes he had a few Jon Runyans blocking for him. But how playing on Any Given Sunday translates into being an effective congressman is unclear.
Unless, of course, you count Sports Illustrated surveys that ranked Runyan as one of the dirtiest players in the NFL. So maybe he's perfectly suited for Washington.
And Runyan already has his own gate. The Donkey Gate kerfuffle has to do with a break Runyan receives on his property tax, in part for breeding a handful of donkeys on a portion of his 20-acre estate in Mount Laurel.
The scheme is legal, and one that would probably be used by just about anyone else in his large shoes. But it is a scheme to avoid taxes nonetheless. Even with the donkey farm, Runyan pays about $60,000 a year in property tax. That bill may explain his interest in donkeys, and in running for office with a pledge to reduce taxes.
That's not to say Adler is Mr. Clean. The guy is a product of the Norcross political machine, which dominates South Jersey.
In addition, Adler's campaign appears to have helped prop up a sham tea-party candidate in an effort to siphon votes from Runyan. Adler says he had no knowledge of the alleged scheme. But if his camp was involved, it would show that Philadelphia didn't have a monopoly on dirty politics.
Some, in fact, may conclude that it would demonstrate how all politicians are alike. But there is a seismic difference between Adler and Runyan.
