the smedley log - suburban scrawl

Familiar places and faces

Had lunch at one of my all-time favorite places today. Just a stone’s throw from both Tyler State Park and historic downtown Newtown Borough (right in between, actually) is Goodnoe Family Restaurant. Had some spuds, a patty melt and shared a couple scoops of made-on-the-premises peanut butter swirl ice cream. Mmmm-mmm. (In case you can’t tell, I highly recommend the Goodnoe dining experience.)

During lunch I spotted a semi-familiar face a few tables away. It was one of the Democratic hopefuls in the early stages of vying for PA’s 8th district U.S. Congressional seat, Mr. Andy Warren. I’d only met him once before, several years ago, so it took me a few minutes to be sure, and I was only really sure when a fellow patron, an elderly man on the other side of the restaurant, called his way and said, “Hey, Mr. Commissioner.” Warren waved back and responded in a predictably friendly fashion.

Warren, for those who aren’t keeping score here at the smedley log, is the former Republican Bucks County Commissioner who changed party affiliation this past year, citing a shift toward more extreme ideology within his former party. I can relate to his shift, as it’s one I’ve sort of made myself, and for the exact reasons he cited too. Although, to be clear, I didn’t join the Democratic party—I just settled in as an independent.

After paying the bill, I decided to mosey over and say “Hi.” I wanted to say face to face that I respected his shift from the party with which he’d spent his whole life, and to just wish him luck. In the two minutes I spent speaking with Warren and his fellow diner (apparently a campaign person of some sort—sorry I forgot his name), I think I said everything I needed to. I haven’t settled all my decisions for the 2006 election cycle yet, but he’s one of the candidates I’m leaning toward quite a bit. Prior to hearing that he was going to run, I had hoped for it.

I don’t know what I was trying to accomplish, as I mostly just made small talk (though I’m sure he appreciated the well-wishing). I think I was just passively trying to size him up, whatever that amounts to.

And there you have it. My uber-local celebrity sighting at lunch today.

As an aside, I previously opined on Andy Warren’s break with the local GOP in a post entitled “Andy Warren breaks away“

I’m a fan of Paul Lang, a young Democrat who is running [I’m pretty sure] in the PA Senate in that district. I’ve met him a couple of times, good guy.

Homemade ice cream! Yum.

Yum indeed.

Apparently Lang is vying for the seat currently held by State Senator Tommy Tomlinson. That’s my district, so I’ll have to find out more about him. A strange note (in six-degrees sort of way, that is): I played soccer for a couple years on the same team as Sen. Tomlinson’s son, so I always had a vague comfort level with him—strange the sort of things that shape your political opinions when you’re not paying close attention.

The 8th U.S. district has options this year, and both of the Dems I’ve seen so far (Andy Warren and Patrick Murphy) seem intriguing. Warren is a former Republican who held county office, but when you get to higher legislative circles, his politics really are much more in line with most Democrats.

The shift, however, from tradtional Bucks Republican to Democrat isn’t as far as some people might think. I observed in the other piece about his defection to the Dems that Bucks County Republicans are to typical Republicans what Texas Democrats are to typical Democrats.

Against that backdrop, I say that I think there are a lot of Bucks Republicans who are uncomfortable with the brand of Republicanism that is being practiced on the national level these days.

If that makes sense…

Good one…good dinner and a good conversation. It does take something to go up and chat up a pol…that’s cool. And I’m drooling about Goonoe. I’ll have to venture out more.

Interesting. Skip was a lively, friendly seeming guy when I covered Newtown local govt meetings for about a minute a few years ago.

Warren, on the other hand, was impossible to pin down. I love the idea that you tackled him at lunch, lol…

Frank,

Goodnoe’s is a nice place. Not high class, but decent family dining with some of the best ice cream I’ve ever had. The decision to chat with Warren was opportunity-based, as my dining companion had gone to the ladies’ room—so I had a couple minutes to kill.

m&m,

Mr. Goodnoe has always struck me as a personable fellow too. As for Warren, he seemed pretty willing to talk, though I guess accesibility goes with running for congress, eh?