‘It's time for new leadership' – Local Dems respond to Daria Devlin's mayoral endorsement
The Erie County Democratic Party voted to endorse Daria Devlin for the position of Erie mayor, with Devlin receiving 67% of the vote from committee members.
'We are so humbled and honored to have received this endorsement from the Democratic party it was a very long process, a very thorough one, and really a difficult one because I think everybody understands that this is a really important and critical time for Erie,' said Devlin.
Erie Co. Democratic Party endorses Daria Devlin for mayor
The chairman of the Democratic party said the decision was based on three components that are issues in the city — The current projected deficit in the future, urban blight and general city services.
'When you put all that together, the committee felt that maybe it's time for new leadership,' said Sam Talarico, chairman of the Erie County Democratic Party.
Devlin said the endorsement was an opportunity for the committee to say to the voters, 'Let's pay attention, we believe, and we are putting confidence in Daria's leadership.'
She recalled how Mayor Joe Schember has served Erie well, but the challenges require a level of leadership that is not being provided by City Hall. The mayor said he is not concerned about the endorsement.
Early in-person voting begins for PA primary election
'It doesn't really bother me, to be honest, because we all presented all three of us that are running, and I gave a very heartfelt presentation, and I had actually knew in advance. I had heard that it was probably going to go to her, and that's fine,' said Mayor Schember.
Talarico felt Mayor Schember has accomplished much in his two terms. He thinks it's time to pass the torch.
'Things are going on in the party. Even nationally, there's general tendency and attitude that maybe we need to turn the page, look for some new bolder leadership with some new ideas and Daria Devlin really made a compelling case about that,' said Talarico.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
19 minutes ago
- Yahoo
De Blasio watches with glee as candidates attack Cuomo in NYC mayoral debate
NEW YORK — As mayoral hopefuls in Thursday night's Democratic primary debate landed sharp rejoinders against frontrunner Andrew Cuomo, one of the former governor's old foes broke out the popcorn. Former Mayor Bill de Blasio fired off a series ofgleeful postson X that reveled in the broadsides against Cuomo and lauded the performances of Comptroller Brad Lander, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and state Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, the democratic socialist who is polling second behind Cuomo. 'Wow, @andrewcuomo is REALLY scared of @ZohranKMamdani! He's not even faking it…' de Blasio wrote. 'And Andrew is REALLY disrespecting all the New Yorkers who support Zohran.' City Comptroller Brad Lander was 'attacking consistently and really rattling Cuomo,' wrote de Blasio, who said the former governor's self-proclaimed executive experience consisted of harassing female employees and making decisions that resulted in the death of nursing home residents during Covid. The ex-mayor — who spent eight years being tormented by the former governor over issues as quotidian as how to euthanize a deer — called into question the governor's housing record, accused him of dodging a question about the Rent Guidelines Board and lampooned Cuomo's characterization of the subway as infested with crime. The former governor, of course, had responses for the attacks coming from the dais. He said a report that found he sexually harassed underlings — accusations he has denied — did not result in any criminal charges and was created to hurt him politically. He said his nursing home edicts were consistent with federal guidance during the height of Covid. He has cast the city as poorly run and falling into disrepair on account of the leadership of de Blasio and his successor, New York City Mayor Eric Adams. And he had sharp responses to Mamdani and others over their own legislative records and policies far to the left of his own. But de Blasio's sustained pile-on reinforced the acrimonious relationship between the two executives and appeared to be almost cathartic for the the former mayor. 'Is @andrewcuomo mimicking dialogue from the 1950's?' de Blasio wrote. 'I fully expect Gregory Peck or Jimmy Stewart to join him on stage.' Asked over text message Thursday night if he planned to make an endorsement, de Blasio took a much more laconic approach: "Nope."
Yahoo
22 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump moves to block California electric cars program
US President Donald Trump on Thursday signed resolutions blocking California's landmark efforts to phase out gas-powered cars in favor of electric vehicles, a move the state immediately contested in court. Trump's action, a rebuke of Democratic climate change policies, comes after the Republican-led Congress revoked the state's waiver allowing it to set more stringent regulations for cars. California had planned to end the sale of gasoline-only vehicles by 2035, among other ambitious efforts. During the signing ceremony at the White House, Trump lashed out at the state's bid as "a disaster for this country" and said the resolutions he was signing would save the industry from "destruction." California swiftly sued the Trump administration over the resolutions, with Attorney General Rob Bonta saying: "The President's divisive, partisan agenda is jeopardizing our lives, our economy and our environment." "It's reckless, it's illegal, and because of it, we'll be seeing the Trump administration in court again for the 26th time," he added. California, the nation's wealthiest state with around 40 million people, has long used the waiver in the Clean Air Act to set its own emissions standards as it tries to mitigate some of the worst air pollution in the country. The size of the auto market in the state -- and the fact that several other states follow its lead -- means automakers frequently use its standards nationwide. Trump's move also came as he clashes with California over immigration enforcement. California Governor Gavin Newsom has accused the president of acting like a tyrant over his use of the military to control small-scale protests in Los Angeles. - Environmental concerns - Trump's action was condemned by environmental groups who say the rules are key for easing pollution. And Newsom recently argued that rolling back the state's EV ambitions would boost China's position on the market. While China is a manufacturing hub for such vehicles globally, the United States is a net importer of them, he said in a May statement. This is despite the United States being home to technologies that have pioneered the clean car industry, he noted. Trump has repeatedly criticized subsidies to encourage the EV industry despite significant federal funding allocated to projects in Republican districts -- where thousands of jobs are expected to be created. He took aim at the sector as part of his flurry of executive orders on his first day in office this January in a bid to ensure what he called a "level" playing field for gasoline-powered motors. hg-bys/md
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Will Andrew Yang and Elon Musk team up for a third party?
[Source] Former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang has reportedly reached out to Elon Musk with a proposal to collaborate on building a third political party following the billionaire's fiery feud with President Donald Trump. Catch up Yang's outreach follows Musk's public breakup with Trump over federal spending legislation that would increase the deficit by $2.5 trillion. Musk, who worked with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) on spending cuts, opposed the legislation and polled his X followers about forming a new political party. The survey received 5.3 million votes, with 80.4% supporting the idea. Musk then suggested naming it the 'America Party.' Yang, who leads the Forward Party — formed after his exit in the 2021 New York City mayoral Democratic primary — moved to connect with Musk following the poll, noting that Musk had endorsed his presidential bid as they both supported Universal Basic Income policies. Trending on NextShark: Common ground In a recent interview with Politico, Yang revealed that he has reached out to Musk and that 'some mutual friends' are also looking to connect them. However, he has yet to hear back from the Tesla chief. Yang went on to stress that independents represent the U.S.' fastest growing political movement, with voters feeling unrepresented by either major party. He emphasized common ground with Musk. 'There are a number of things that I think Elon shares in common with a lot of other folks I talk to who want to see some kind of middle ground or balance,' he said. But his direct pitch to Musk was more pointed: 'Elon, the political class will never get serious about putting America on a path to sustainability, and you've seen it up close. Help us build it.' Trending on NextShark: Looking ahead Yang says the Forward Party has gained thousands of new followers in the last 24 hours since Musk's poll appeared. He believes sufficient resources could produce thousands of locally elected officials within one cycle by targeting more than 500,000 local positions nationwide. He also envisions creating a fulcrum in the U.S. Senate through what he calls a 'Legislator Liberation Fund' to buy out current legislators from their party contracts. Trending on NextShark: This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter — a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices. Subscribe free to join the movement. If you love what we're building, consider becoming a paid member — your support helps us grow our team, investigate impactful stories, and uplift our community. Trending on NextShark: Subscribe here now! Trending on NextShark: Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today!
