Hello black bird
Hello starling
Winter’s over
Be my darling
Long time comin’
But now
The snow is gone
-Josh Ritter
What a weekend! And I’m not just referring to the weather, either.
While the focus of tomorrow’s column is about school district consolidation, something we discussed at the Nest last week, I want to focus my comments tonight on a subject that didn’t make the cut.
Heidi Wheaton’s not running for re-election as an East Hempfield Township supervisor.
She didn’t seem to say much to the Sunday News reporter other than to explain that the reason she won’t seek a second six-year term is because of a wish to return to private life, where she runs with her husband a propane business.
But Wheaton has the smarts to sense the gathering storm. The East Hempfield GOP endorsed someone else for her seat. Diane Moore, a Republican committeewoman and former chair of the Hempfield Area GOP, said in the Sunday News that Wheaton had “caused more problems than positives” in her time as supervisor. Few doubt there would have been an upswell of party insiders to try and extricate Wheaton from the board during this year’s election.
Besides, during Wheaton’s recent attempts at state Senate and Lancaster County Commissioner, she lost in her home township. That didn’t bode well for the 2009 campaign.
Running and losing the supervisor’s race has it perils, which I wrote about in a previous column. If Wheaton lost, her political future would have been dealt such a serious blow it’s doubtful if she could have recovered in the near term to successfully run again for office; say state Representative or county commissioner, again. Voters would have to ask the question - if Wheaton’s own neighbors wouldn’t vote for her, why should I?
So Wheaton chose a safer path and kept her political future, whatever it may be, unspoiled. She steps away from the limelight with some success as a township supervisor such as her push to get re-inspections of homes in Village Grande at Milles Run, and she has name recognition, which should carryover for many years.
But the call to serve in office will continue to be loud and strong, both inside a former politician’s soul and from the voices of their supporters. Ask Charlie Smithgall, the former Republican mayor of Lancaster city. He’s been asked to run for several offices after he lost in 2005 his bid for a third term, and he nearly won a GOP nomination in the 2007 county commissioner race. The temptation to step back onto the campaign trail, advocate for causes important to you, to represent people will, that will continue to be strong for Wheaton.
One way for Wheaton to stay in the game, so to speak, would be to form a new political action committee. That way she can raise money, bring awareness to an issue important to her and keep her name and brand of politics in the public’s attention. I wouldn’t be shocked to see this happen.
And so Lancaster voters will continue to watch for Wheaton’s next move on the political circuit, even as she exits the stage.
