Lentz, Meehan spar over third-party candidate

A third-party candidate regarded as a spoiler to a Republican in the Seventh Congressional District race continues to dog the Democratic candidate, Bryan Lentz.

Lentz said this week that he had known his volunteers had helped put that candidate on the ballot in the hope of siphoning votes from Republican Patrick Meehan. But rather than squelch the whole episode, Lentz's disclosure has given Meehan a chance to flog his opponent's character.

Now, with 11 days left in the nail-biter race, Lentz's efforts to prevent the matter from becoming a "distraction" have blown up. And Meehan is taking every chance to swipe at Lentz over the third candidate, Jim Schneller.

"He says he didn't want this to become real distraction from what's important in the race," Meehan told The Inquirer's Editorial Board on Thursday. "Bryan created Mr. Schneller for a very specific purpose, to do exactly that."

Lentz did not recruit Schneller, a conservative independent candidate, to run. But his volunteers gathered thousands of signatures needed for Schneller to qualify for the ballot.

"Look, politics is politics, and issues are issues," Lentz told the Editorial Board. "And I hope that ultimately this election is decided on the issues."

All three candidates met with the board Thursday. Besides Schneller's candidacy, the men detailed their differences on health care, job creation, and gun control.

Schneller, 54, of Wayne, was already running for the seat when Lentz volunteers offered to help him gather signatures to put his name on the ballot. Schneller said he had gathered 3,200 of the 4,200 he needed when Democrats showed up to help.

Lentz, 46, a two-term state representative from Swarthmore, said volunteers had come to him about the idea in the summer.

"I didn't tell them not to do it," Lentz said, adding that his volunteers had made no efforts to conceal their actions.

Schneller denied any knowledge of an organized Democratic effort to aid him.

"The night that people brought in the petitions, I wondered heavily why there were 3,000 or 4,000," he said.

Lentz kept mum about the matter until this week for fear it would become "a real distraction from what's important in the race."

Lentz, a former Philadelphia prosecutor, said his views better reflected the district.

He cited the new health-care law, which Meehan said he would vote to repeal if elected. Lentz supports the legislation, although he said it needed revision.

Meehan, a former U.S. attorney, said the bill's costs were onerous, especially to small businesses. He expects President Obama would veto any repeal legislation but said it would create "a genuine dialogue."

Lentz argues that there was plenty of talking about health care for decades, but little action. The new law includes vital measures, he said, such as extending coverage to those with preexisting health conditions.

Lentz also called attention to his support of legislation to prevent violent criminals from securing gun permits out of state. He was a prime sponsor of a state bill to close the so-called Florida loophole, but his measure never gained support.

Meehan said sufficient checks and balances were already in place.