Sean Dougherty in the race for Pa. House District 172 | Endorsement

Northeast Philadelphia’s 172nd House District is an outlier, in that it is one of the few seats representing Philadelphia in the lower house of the General Assembly that’s actually competitive. In fact, before the seat was claimed in 2010 by its current occupant, Democratic State Rep. Kevin Boyle, it was occupied by onetime Republican House Speaker John M. Perzel for 31 years.

However, the energy and enthusiasm that once powered Boyle to an upset win over Perzel has dissipated amid Boyle’s long-acknowledged struggles with his mental health.

In 2021, Democratic leaders in Harrisburg removed Boyle from leadership positions and limited his access to the Capitol. Boyle also began making troubling posts on social media, including one lashing out at City Councilmember Isaiah Thomas. Later, Boyle was arrested and charged with harassment. At the time, he was contrite, and his lawyers promised he would seek help.

But earlier this year, another episode occurred. In a video circulated on social media, Boyle, who was apparently drunk, was seen arguing with the staff at a Montgomery County bar. Belatedly, House Democratic leadership sought an alternative candidate ahead of the April 23 primary. Boyle started the process for reelection anyway.

Boyle’s personal challenges transcend politics and should be a priority for him. Indeed, it is probably best for both Boyle and the people of the 172nd District if he receives the treatment he needs as a private citizen. In the meantime, voters should move forward by electing Sean Dougherty.

Like Boyle — whose brother Brendan has spent nearly a decade in Congress representing Pennsylvania’s 2nd District — Dougherty is not the only member of his family with deep ties in local politics. Unlike Boyle, however, Dougherty’s relatives have had a more fraught association with the city and its institutions: Dougherty’s uncle John, the former labor leader, has been found guilty of misusing his position in two federal felony trials and is back in court this week for a third.

Dougherty has the values Pennsylvania needs at this time.

Dougherty’s father, Kevin, a state Supreme Court justice, was not indicted, but court records showed he benefited from his brother’s misuse of union funds.

Still, it would be wrong to disqualify the younger Dougherty simply because of his family name. Before jumping into this election, Dougherty worked as a public defender; he was also a law clerk for state Supreme Court Justice Daniel D. McCaffery when he served on the state Superior Court.

In an interview with the Editorial Board, Dougherty cited the legacy of public service on his mother’s side of the family — not his father’s — as a prime motivation for his campaign: his maternal grandfather, George J. Woods Jr., was a West Point graduate who became an Army colonel and went on to serve as a diplomat in Pakistan in the late 1970s.

Dougherty also has the values Pennsylvania needs at this time. While Republican candidate Aizaz Gill has said that issues like abortion rights are not at stake in this election, the narrow nature of the House’s Democratic majority could make this seat especially crucial in coming years, as key issues are decided.

There are, in fact, several areas where Harrisburg could use Dougherty’s vote right now. In an interview with this board, Gill called Gov. Josh Shapiro’s $48 billion budget too ambitious, echoing the sentiments of Republican leaders in the General Assembly. Dougherty, on the other hand, clearly understood that Shapiro’s proposal wisely invests in the commonwealth’s future.

It would be nice if Philadelphia’s Democrats were offered more candidates like Shapiro, or the impressive field for attorney general, rather than a selection of political dynasts and flawed characters who often populate the lower rungs of our primary ballots. Still, given the stakes, the choice is clear. The Inquirer Editorial Board endorses Sean Dougherty.