Democrat Sean Dougherty appears to have bested Republican Aizaz Gill in a race for state representative for northeast Philadelphia.
According to unofficial returns, Dougherty garnered 7,593 voters or 53.2 percent to Gill’s 6,527 votes or 46.18 percent.
Republicans saw an opportunity to flip Philadelphia’s 172nd, a seat that Rep. Kevin Boyle (D-Philadelphia) now holds. However, Boyle, who suffered various personal woes, lost the April primary to Sean Dougherty, the scion of a well-known Philadelphia political family. Dougherty’s dad is Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Kevin Dougherty, and his uncle is recently convicted labor leader John “Johnny Doc” Dougherty.
Dougherty is employed as a defense lawyer.
Gill, 31, the enthusiastic and community-minded president of the Burholme Town Watch and Civic Association, ran a vigorous campaign. Dougherty took to the airwaves early on and painted Gill in an unflattering fashion as someone who would vote against women’s right to an abortion.
While Philadelphia is a largely Democratic bastion, the northeast Philadelphia area is known for its independence and the 172nd District is adjacent to a solidly Republican district represented by Rep. Martina White (R).
It was clear from the television commercials the Dougherty campaign aired and the numerous yard signs that festooned northeast Philadelphia, that the Dougherty campaign had more funding and was better able to get its message out.
Dougherty ran on law and order and said he opposed Philadelphia’s soft-on-crime progressive District Attorney Larry Krasner.
“Now the work begins to bring home funding and legislation to benefit Northeast Philadelphia including funding our schools, protecting women’s reproductive rights, improving safety in the district, and increasing good-paying jobs,” Dougherty told DVJournal. “I owe this win to each and every person who voted for me, every volunteer who knocked doors with me, and my campaign staff.”
