Perzel has high-profile opponent in Costello

In 2000, the surge of Democratic votes buoying up presidential candidate Al Gore nearly cost Republican State Rep. John Perzel his seat. An incumbent then in office for 22 years, the Northeast Philadelphia lawmaker hung on by 92 votes out of 25,000 cast.

Perzel learned a lesson that year, one that he believes will stave off a repeat scenario this Election Day, despite the seemingly even greater tide of Democratic votes being pulled by Sen. Barack Obama.

This time, Perzel faces former Fraternal Order of Police president Rich Costello, perhaps his most formidable opponent ever.

Costello's 34-year police career and vocal leadership for 10 years of Lodge 5 of the Fraternal Order of Police gives his campaign instant credibility.

"When a guy has been in Harrisburg for 30 years and forgets where he came from, that makes him dangerous," says the 57-year-old Costello, who believes Perzel is too cozy with lobbyists. "I don't think at the grassroots level he has the support of the rowhouse Republicans he thinks he has."

Perzel's response: "I'm out there every day, doing what I need to do," says the former Pennsylvania House speaker and longtime representative of the 172d House District.

By Nov. 4, Perzel, who is 58, says he will have knocked on the doors of about 18,000 of the 23,000 homes in his district - and heard plenty about rental properties that aren't being maintained and drug sales that allegedly occur in some of them.

The district, which includes Mayfair, Rhawnhurst and Fox Chase, has changed considerably since 2000 - it is much leaner, Republican-wise. That is because in 2002, the General Assembly's political leaders - including Perzel, as a former House majority leader - redrew the district's boundaries, pulling in blocks loaded with Republicans and chopping out those full of Democrats. Today, with 43 percent of voters registered Republican, the 172d remains the city's strongest GOP district.

As a result, while Obama's popularity might boost the efforts of some Democratic candidates in marginal districts around the city and state, it's a tougher undertaking in the 172d district.

"Rich, like any candidate, has to stand on his own two feet," said Montgomery County Democratic State Rep. Josh Shapiro, who helped persuade Costello to run. "But what Barack Obama is doing is helping the Democratic label and making people take a look at the Democratic candidates down ballot. . . . He's got a shot."

No Republican presidential candidate has carried the district since George Bush in 1988 - but Perzel has nonetheless won every election since 1978.

Likewise, Perzel shows little concern about the district's heavy concentration of police officers; about 1,500 live there. "Rich Costello is not getting the vote of every retired or active police officer," Perzel said.

The police union endorsed Perzel in past years, including times when Costello was at the helm. "I guess he liked me then," Perzel quipped, pointing to a 2004 endorsement photo of he and Costello together. For his part, Costello said that while Perzel that year faced Democrat Tim Kearney, a former City Council aide, the FOP backed Perzel because there was no "viable alternative."

As far as public safety issues, Costello favors limiting handgun purchases to one a month and requiring the reporting of lost or stolen firearms - ideas Perzel has said are unconstitutional under state law.

But Costello also has a compelling story to tell: A few months into his police career, he was shot twice in the face while on patrol. One bullet is still lodged in his skull. Within two years, he returned to full duty, eventually becoming a captain. His assailant was never found.

"No one can ever understand what it is like to be shot in the line of duty, and Rich Costello does," former City Controller Jonathan Saidel said. "Rich Costello is probably the best candidate the Democratic Party has ever fielded in that legislative district."

In Harrisburg, Perzel, with no success yet, has pushed for the hiring of 10,000 additional police statewide, and supported eliminating the school portion of property taxes for low-income seniors.

The last year has brought remarkable change for Perzel as he lost the House speakership, a position he had held since 2003.

His influence has diminished, but Perzel, a prolific fund-raiser, still plays a big part in political deal-making and in aiding other Republican candidates. Last week, Perzel's campaign committee paid to run full-page Inquirer and Daily News ads questioning the real-estate practices of Brendan Boyle, a Democrat vying against Republican Matt Taubenberger in the 170th district.

In his own race, Perzel has funded a cable TV ad that points out Costello rents an apartment from an absentee landlord, a hot issue in the 172d as many residents complain that such rental properties are not being maintained.

In turn, Costello is trying to portray Perzel as in the pocket of lobbyists, accepting free trips. The campaign has mailed postcards with doctored images of Perzel standing before the Eiffel Tower and wearing a beret.

Overall, Perzel spent nearly $207,000 since the spring, and as of Friday he had $266,000 on hand. Costello spent $67,000 and had $23,000 on hand.

"There's always a surprise every year, but at the moment, Perzel doesn't appear to be one of those incumbents in trouble," said Berwood Yost, director of the Center for Opinion Research at Franklin and Marshall College. "Then again, the Democratic turnout effort in Philadelphia will be vast, and we don't know what it will mean."