If nominating conventions were movies, the 29th senate district conference that nominated Dave Argall by the slimest of margins after five ballots last December would be Transporter 3, while tonight’s 124th house district conference could be most aptly described as a 4-hour History Channel documentary about yarn. By a resounding 11-3-3 vote on the first ballot, former Schuylkill County Commissioner and aide to Dave Argall, Jerry Knowles, captured the GOP nomination at Orwigsburg Masonic Lodge Hall in Orwigsburg, soundly defeating Ringtown farmer Barron “Boots” Hetherington and Maidencreek Township Supervisor Roy Timpe.
“I would ask that people who might not have supported me tonight to please rally around me, so that we can keep this seat Republican, ” said Knowles in his acceptance speech. Newly-minted state Sen. Dave Argall, a conferee, added, “I would implore those who supported my candidacy for the 29th to be behind Jerry in this race. We are down in the House right now and we lost a seat a few years ago because we [the Republican Party] were divided.”
Well Dave, there is a little bit of a difference between the way you were nominated and the way Jerry was coronated tonight. You won a very tightly contested race fair and square. So, we respected the rule of democracy and rallied behind your candidacy, despite the fact that some of us aren’t your biggest fans. In contrast, Jerry won his nomination a few nights ago when GOP Chairman Bob Ames compiled the list of Knowles homers as conferees, securing a certain victory tonight. That is not democracy. That is not the republican way. And that is why many of us won’t rally behind Jerry merely because he asks us to. He is going to have to earn our vote the old fashioned way.
19 Comments
March 26, 2009 at 9:07 pm
Argall has already reached a level Jim Rhoades never got to in 30 years. That’s impressive, and kind of scary.
March 26, 2009 at 10:41 pm
By serving his community for over 25 years? Is that how?
March 27, 2009 at 9:30 am
Now that the farce of a “nominating convention” is over we can focus our anger and disappointment in a positive direction.
We must get behind Bill Mackey. We need to support him with both our time, take him door to door in our neighborhoods, make calls for him, help mail fliers, and help him with our money. We should also contact Ed Kleha and let him know that they have a shot this time and we’re here to help.
March 27, 2009 at 10:51 am
Geezz Hank didn’t dogg tell you that your not allowed to blog anymore?
I will be voting for ANYONE but Knowles.
Now acording to dogg I have to call and tell him that. I think I may just do that.
March 27, 2009 at 2:38 pm
I will sit this one out because of the corruption of Mr. Argall, Mr. Ames and the conferees that followed like sheep rather than voting for the good of the party which was there duty. If Mr Knowles was the best candidate for the 124th why did you have to rig it?? Voters are suppose to have a voice in this process and a handful of schemers took that from us. We will not forget this and I do not care how many committee men you hand pick and put in place. Corruption is always uncovered and we the voters will have our say in the end.
March 27, 2009 at 5:34 pm
Sort of sounds like the secret meeting between Boots, Timpe & Leinbach the night before the conference backfired, huh? You know, the meeting where those 3 tried to pool their votes and rig it in their favor. Was it worth it? Selling your souls to the devil and still coming up short! Hmmph. Where you went wrong was you took the conferees for granted. Democracy works gentelmen. Bottom line??? Two wrongs don’t make a right!
March 27, 2009 at 8:08 pm
Flip Flop I agree with you two wrongs do not make a right but in this case democracy had nothing to do with anything that happened than night or what will happen in the election. For whatever reason it is well known that Mackey is being offered up and Knowles will walk away with the election. There are more deals being made and the 3 people you mentioned are not part of them. Much like the naming/ or crowning however you put it the decision for the 124th has already been made!
March 27, 2009 at 9:15 pm
You guys are nuts. The voters decide who gets the position. Insanio for sure.
March 28, 2009 at 12:14 am
Some people are just upset because they did not get their way. Very sad. BTW Mackey is a nut job…
March 29, 2009 at 12:54 am
I was proud to be a conferee in the 29th Senate District special election. I was even more honored to be a potential candidate. This is my first experience at reading and answering on a blog.
After Senator Argall won his March 3rd election, Jerry Knowles and Boots both began to call prospective conferees in Schuylkill. The rumor was that it would be from the executive committee and no repeats. I actually called Jerry and teased him that we were calling the same people on the same Sunday afternoon. I wished him the best of luck and promised him I would not trash him. Jerry said “Bootsie, I’ve never said a bad word about you or your family and I don’t plan to start now.” For those of you who don’t already know this, Burt and Louise Hetherington (Bootsie’s parents) owned Tamaqua Fruit Co and they sold produce to Jerry Knowles’ Food Market on Dutch Hill for many years. In season the tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, cucumbers, ect came from Bootsie’s farm.
I agree with my friend Mac Magdenberg. If you want to make these severe accusations, then identify yourself. On that note I would to respond to “Flip Flop” and the conspiracy theory and secret meeting accusation. Yes I did meet with Roy Timpe at the Cracker Barrel the day after the lists were official. I had been to Berks in February to help campaign door to door with Royal Furer and had met Roy’s wife but did not have the chance to meet Roy. I was also hoping to meet with Pat Daily, but he had two sick kids at home. As Mac Mandenberg said the process was really compressed. I tried to tell Roy what I knew about the Schuylkill delegates and he did the same for me concerning the Berks names. I also wanted the opportunity to meet and talk to Roy prior to the actual conferee meeting in just four days. There was no time for a Mike Hoffman debate. If we were truly selling our souls to the devil or trading delegates wouldn’t we go somwhere as little more private?
I was in Berks County and met with Jason at his home, Joe at Bell’s Hardware, and Sandy at Hamburg. She and I met at lunch time so she would not be discussing campaigns in the office or during her sceduled work time for the Senate. The other conferees couldn’t meet but talked to me on the phone.
I also met with David Leinbach on Wednesday. I was in West Penn Twp having one of your so called “Secret Meetings” with my dear friend Franny Adams. David called me on my cell phone and invited me to his new house which is ony a few miles from Frannie’s farm. I had campained for Dave’s brother Chris Leinbach when he ran for Congress in the 17th Dist. I was happy to meet him and the wife and kids. Dave told me he was dropping out of the race. I also had a “Secret Meeting” that day with a very dear friend Adolf Slovic in MacAdoo and saw his sons Bob and Bill. I also stopped for a”Secret Meeting” with my hair dresser Jeanie Andrews so I would look my best the night of the convention.
As far as you theory about pooling votes, Both Roy Timpe and Boots received votes in the first round. If we were in someway trying to upset or overturn the process, one of us would have had zero and the other would have had all other votes not cast for Mr. Knowles. Me thinkest you protest to much.
I will be in Harrisburg on Tuesday. I am the spokesperson for the Schuylkill County Farm Bureau Members who will visit with Senator Argall and ask for some help in restoring the Agricultural budget items that the Governor has zeroed out. I’m confident that he will do all he can to help me and my friends in agriculture just as we did all we could to make sure he was elected.
March 29, 2009 at 1:55 am
Boots,
You are a class act. I hope I get the opportunity to vote for you again in the future.
Mac
March 29, 2009 at 11:21 am
Thanks for the vote of confidence Mac. Sorry about the extra “n” in your last name.
Boots
March 29, 2009 at 12:32 pm
Opine,
like it says in the bible “There are none so blind as those who will not see.”
March 29, 2009 at 2:48 pm
Sorry,
There is no such phrase in the bible. There are some slightly similar sentiments in Matthew and a few other places but that is not a quote from the bible. Just FYI.
Mac
March 30, 2009 at 6:12 am
That responce by Boots is EXACTLY why he should be running to fill this seat.
Sorry – How bout this
Isaiah 6:9-10 – And he said , Go, and tell this people, Hear you indeed, but understand not; and see indeed, but perceive not.
March 30, 2009 at 8:22 am
FlipFlop,
You must feel like a real a-hole now. Well, at least you should.
March 30, 2009 at 9:31 am
Yeah, you’re right. Boots explained himself pretty well. I believe him now because he explained himself pretty well. How silly of me. Everything he says must be true because he explained himself pretty well. You’re right. I’m an a-hole because everything he says has to be true because he explained himself pretty well. Sorry Boots, I never would have doubted you had I known you would explain yourself so well and with so much truth attached. Can we be friends now?
March 30, 2009 at 1:46 pm
FlipFlop,
I don’t know Hetherington or you but from what I’ve read, he sounds truthful and you still sound like an A-hole.
April 3, 2009 at 4:47 pm
Boots is a great guy, and I would like to see him make a commish run.