Top Montco GOP officials back Kerns for party chairman

Montgomery County's top elected officials are lining up behind Robert J. Kerns in his bid to become the next chairman of the troubled Montgomery County Republican Party.

Montgomery County Commissioner Bruce L. Castor Jr., Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman and four county row officers recently signed a letter endorsing Kerns as the next county GOP chairman.

The only elected GOP official whose signature is missing is Commissioner Jim Matthews, who has become a pariah in the Republican Party after he devised a power-sharing deal with Democratic Commissioner Joe Hoeffel.

Veteran Montgomery County political reporter has a story about the GOP endorsements in The Times-Herald, which covers the county seat of Norristown.

The row officers who signed the letter are Recorder of Deeds Nancy J. Becker, Jury Commissioner Marie N. Cavanaugh, Sheriff John P. Durante and Treasurer Garrett D. Page.

Kerns, a lawyer and chairman of the Upper Gwynedd GOP, would replace the controversial Ken Davis, a Lower Merion lobbyist who has had a difficult time holding the various party factions together over the past four years.

Under Davis' tenure, the party has suffered an string of embarrassing defeats, including losing the other five county row offices to Democrats in 2007. The GOP has also come up short in fund-raising and voter registration numbers under Davis.

From Gibbons' story:

In their letter, the GOP row officers state it is important for county Republicans to unite behind "one leader, one vision and one goal."

The letter points out that Kerns, the finance chairman for last year's GOP commissioner campaign, was successful in raising more than $1 million for that effort and also helped financially fuel the row officers' campaigns.

Also, according to the letter, Kerns has played a pivotal role in the success of Republicans running for the county bench. With the numerous county judgeships slated for next year's elections, Kerns' experience in these elections will be important, according to the letter.

Kerns may have an opponent when the party meets to reorganize in May. Pottstown-area Republican leader Jim Vlahos has announced he will also seek the chairman's post.