Kathy Kane out as Luzerne County Dem Chair

The Valley Scanner reports that Wilkes-Barre Controller and former city council member then chair Kathy Kane calls it quits:

In a letter dated April 25, Kathy Kane resigned as chairman of the Luzerne County Democratic Committee effective May 25, 2012.

According to the letter, Kane is stepping down to "run for an office" in June. What office? Your guess is as good as ours. With Kane's recent track record of supporting losing candidates, her supporters will be staying away in droves.

In 2013 the county offices that are up is 5 seats on the county council and Controller. Look out Walter.

 The county Democratic party has had rough time of it the last few years with all the Democratic office holders going to jail. In 2007 under the leadership of Mark Buffalino the Dem's made a clean sweep of the county row offices but in 2009 they lost 2 out of 3 after he left to run for Judge and lost . In 2011 they only won 6 of the 11 Luzerne County Council despite an overwhelming registration edge and Republican Stephanie Salavantis knocked off Jackie Mo in the DA's race.

In this past election Kane presided over a meeting of the county executive committee that turned into a farce when Tim Holden was endorsed for Congress over Matt Cartwright in the 17th CD race.The headline out of the meeting was that Holden  was that the Luzerne  County Democratic Committee unanimously endorsed Tim Holden but that was not was not the case. A parliamentary maneuver changed the result as 2nd District Chair Casey Evans explained. In the primary election Cartwright won Luzerne County by almost 3 to 1.

In the run up to the election there was some controversy when there was a dispute about what event was scheduled first. 120th State Rep Phyllis Mundy (my 3rd favorite) hosted an event for Matt Cartwright in West Pittston on the same night that Kane had a rally for Luzerne County Dem's at the Ramada in Wilkes-Barre. Phyllis assured me that she didn't know about the county committee meet up or she would have had it on another day. 

PoliticsPA had a recap of the 17th CD race and  I would add that Cartwright had a better ground game. In Luzerne County Cartwright had an office in Wilkes-Barre that was buzzing with people working the phones and the Holden "HQ" was an empty store front with some signs in the windows. Before the election I was called by 2 volunteers from Cartwright but only  a robo call for Holden paid for by the AFL-CIO. On election day I got a remember to vote call from the Cartwright camp because they identified me as a supporter. Great job Shane!