TJ Rooney Stepping Down as Chair of the PA Democratic Party

[Yellow Horse]

It's Official. After 7-1/2 years at the helm, current state Democratic Chairman T.J. Rooney of Rooney Bethlehem will step down when the party holds a quadrennial reorganization meeting in Harrisburg on June 19.

The news isn't entirely surprising, Rooney has been saying since at least February that he wanted to give up the reins. But prominent Democrats, including Gov. Ed Rendell, were prevailing on him to stay through the November general election.

But it appears Rendell has given Rooney his blessing to leave, based on this statement from Rooney that the Democratic Party issued yesterday:

(snipped, read at link below)

It's already known that Allegheny County Democratic Chairman Jim Burn has been building support for a bid to replace Rooney. Burn has secured the backing of U.S. Rep. Bob Brady, the chairman of the Philadelphia City Committee. But he may not have the field all to himself. Montgomery County Chairman Marcel Groen is reportedly considering a bid for the chairmanship. And Chuck Pascal, the chairman of the Armstrong County delegation, has told us that he's definitely in the hunt.

http://blogs.mcall.com/capitol_ideas/2010/06/rooney-makes-departure-from-demo-state-committee-official.html