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Why are RCC ward leaders meeting?

Philadelphia's Republican City Committee has scheduled a meeting of ward leaders for June 7, possibly to try to make peace with some of the warring factions within the party.

Republican party leader Michael Meehan wants GOP ward leaders to get together June 7, and the question is - why? David Oh, a GOP Council candidate and ward leader, said he believes the purpose of the meeting will be to endorse all the party candidates who won the primary.

Update from original: Canuso says the party may consider endorsing all the candidates at the June 7 meeting, but said, "That is not one person's decision, unlike what you people like to report on." Canuso said ward leaders traditionally meet after elections.

If Oh is correct, that could mean that Meehan and Canuso are holding out a small olive branch to factions within the party that have been unhappy with their leadership, including Al Schmidt, who is on the ballot as a Republican City Commissioner candidate.

It would also mean an endorsement for GOP council candidate Dennis O'Brien, who is not aligned with either side in the party.

O'Brien did not immediately return requests for comment. Schmidt, who is also a ward leader, said he did not know what the meeting was about.

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