Local Democrats encouraged by new administration
Expansion of infrastructure – such as highways and water and sewerage lines – is also a high priority for Lebder. He plans to attend Rendell’s upcoming economic summit for Southwestern Pennsylvania but believes he’ll be talking to the governor before then. “I spoke to him in Harrisburg (at the inauguration), but it was more or less a “hi and goodbye,’ and wishing him well,” said Lebder. “Naturally, I’m smart enough to not make an attempt to muddy the water during an inaugural (by talking politics).”
The day after the November election, Lebder said that Rendell called and thanked him for a favorable Fayette County vote.
“He also said, ‘The next time you’re in Philadelphia, I want to take you out to the best restaurant in Philadelphia,'” said Lebder, who adds that’s he’s known Rendell for 30 years. “I will be meeting with him on a personal basis, in a more or less quieter setting … He calls me ‘Freddie,’ not ‘Fred.'”
Lebder said there are no hard feelings from Rendell, even though Fayette County went solidly for his opponent, Robert P. Casey Jr., in last year’s primary election.
“He’s looking for the future, he’s looking to build coalitions. His heart’s in the right place, but he’s going to have a tough road to hoe,” said Lebder, referring to solid Republican control of the state House and state Senate.
However, Lebder said that Rendell’s huge popularity in the heavily Republican counties surrounding Philadelphia – such as Chester, Delaware and Montgomery – leads him to believe that Republican legislators from those areas may join Democrats in pushing through Rendell’s agenda.