GOP has mayoral candidate: Taubenberger

As five Democrats battle to become Philadelphia's next mayor, city Republicans are about to get a candidate of their own - finally.

Businessman Al Taubenberger said he planned to ask city Republican leaders tomorrow to endorse him as the GOP nominee for mayor when they meet to consider which candidates to back for citywide offices in the May 15 primary.

Two hours before that closed-door meeting is set to begin, Taubenberger said, he plans to officially launch his campaign from the steps of his childhood home on Oxford Avenue in the Northeast.

"What happened today really gives me all the more reason to run, to reject the politics of pay-to-play, and do the right thing for my neighbors," Taubenberger said, referring to the federal indictment of Democratic State Sen. Vincent J. Fumo.

Taubenberger, 53, has dabbled in politics for much of his life, including runs for Congress in 2002 and 2004. He works full-time as president of the Greater Northeast Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce. He graduated from Pennsylvania State University in 1975.

City Councilman Frank Rizzo, a Republican who had considered a mayoral run on either party's ticket, said yesterday that he expected Taubenberger to be the nominee. Rizzo said he backed off his own bid because "we have a good candidate in Al Taubenberger, who I'll be working for, and on the Democratic side, we have some capable candidates also."

The city's registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by 5-1, and most GOP leaders concede that a mayoral victory is a long shot. No Republican mayor has been elected since 1947.

Still, city Republican leader Michael P. Meehan insisted that the party run somebody. Figuring out who, though, was not easy.

In recent months, three Democratic candidates were asked if they would cross parties, to no avail. Meehan did not return telephone calls this week asking for comment.

Taubenberger, whose mayoral exploratory committee is chaired by Meehan, has expressed interest in running for close to a year. So far he has raised $100, from himself.

The Republican Party's candidate-selection committee, which includes about 35 to 40 fund-raisers, civic leaders and key ward leaders, is expected to vote on a nominee, then recommend that person to all the ward leaders.