But although all the state House races are important, there are five we want to highlight and offer endorsements. They are the 172nd District (Richard Costello vs. Tim Kearny), 179th (incumbent Tony Payton vs. Guy Lewis), 184th (Incumbent William Keller vs. Christian DiCicco), 186th (incumbent Harold James vs. Kenyatta Johnson) and the 198th (incumbent Rosita Youngblood vs. Byron Davis.) Today we endorse in the 179th, 186th and 198th. Friday we'll cover the 172nd and 184th.

179th: A nurse with the Army Nurse Corps and veteran of the first Gulf War, Guy D. Lewis is making his first run at political office. But Lewis' passion for health care and his real-life experience (he's a nurse in Temple University Hospital's emergency room) will make him an instant expert in Harrisburg. We were impressed by his ideas for community-based wellness centers and that he considers violence a health issue. Rep. Tony Payton tried to flex a lot of muscle as a freshman legislator on issues such as red-light-camera funds for school and a statewide scholarship program, but had little to show for it. We believe Guy D. Lewis will be a responsible voice in Harrisburg.

186th: Harold James has represented this district for 20 years. We would like to say "held sway," but that implies he is a man of power and action. Most of James' power has come from incumbency - he notes that he has doled out millions of dollars to more than 120 community organizations - rather than from bold policy-making. James, a retired cop, is chairman of the Gaming Oversight Committee, whose most important role has been to visit casinos operating in the state. His challenger, Kenyatta Johnson, has years of public service and community-organizing experience (he also worked for state Sen. Anthony Williams). He also created "Peace Not Guns," a conflict-resolution group for children. Kenyatta Johnson will be an energetic presence in a district that struggles with crime and violence. He will bring something to the job that James has lost.

198th: Byron Davis has credentials few in the House can claim: He's a teacher (Germantown Friends School). He's also active in several civic groups and has progressive ideas that we believe will resonate with constituents of the 198th. Economically and geographically diverse districts such as the 198th can be a challenge to represent. Too often, state legislators from Philadelphia believe they just have to send money to constituents to keep them happy. Rep. Rosita Youngblood has represented the district for 14 years, but has focused much of her attention on Harrisburg and legislation about problems that arguably other agencies could address. We endorse Byron Davis. Given the primacy of education, we think sending a teacher to Harrisburg is a good idea. *