Not so long ago, one or two people were actually elected to public office who put service to the people first.  Non-existent now, but only rare in the latter part of the last century, they were the real leaders, contribution before re-election.  Perhaps the Internet changed all that, making the option of voting for something good for the people – when many oppose – a prelude to defeat at the next election.

This is the story of Marjorie Margolies, a one-term PA Congresswoman (almost by choice) from the Philadelphia suburbs.

An attractive television journalist, first in Philly and then for nearly two decades on NBC, she gave up that career.  Helped by Bill Clinton’s first run for the White House, Ms. Margolies upset an incumbent Republican for Congress in 1992.

To those who knew her then, the win was no surprise.  Successful in the bruising arena of network TV news competition, she won no less than five Emmys and was named a CBS News Foundation Fellow at Columbia University.  Later, she would chair the National Women’s Business Council.

Her first year in Congress proved more bruising than the competition for TV news.

Four years earlier George Bush One successfully transitioned from the Reagan era on the promise “Read my lips . . .” Unable to reconcile the broken promise, Bush One ended as a one-termer.  To achieve his goal of fiscal stability, Clinton knew he would need at least one substantial tax increase to head off a steep recession and had carefully avoided making the same phony promise.

1993 was a tough year and the battle to deliver Clinton’s first budget was bloody.  For the 1994 mid-terms, the Republicans under the brilliant Newt Gingrich developed their “Contract for America.”  Promising the return of God in the classrooms, we could keep our assault weapons and gays couldn’t hold hands in the presence of others, while they plundered our financial and health insurance systems, sent good-paying jobs overseas and polluted the environment.

Enough voters believed them about God and queers.  Clinton shared power with a Republican Congress for the next six years.

Margolies cast the deciding vote for Clinton’s unpopular fiscal 1993 budget, widely believed to be the reason she lost re-election in 1994.

Life was to deal Margolies one more bad hand.

She married former Iowa Congressman Ed Mezvinsky who moved to Pennsylvania.  He ran and lost for PA Attorney General in 2000, was arrested and convicted for fraud in 2003.  Even the one-term member of Congress, now 67, had to declare bankruptcy.  Sentenced to six years, her husband was freed last year.

A brighter spot is the forthcoming marriage of son Marc Mezvinsky.  He is engaged to Chelsea Clinton.

Appearances by a trio of major political figures at the 3rd Annual Northwest Democrat Alliance breakfast at Greenville VFW yesterday morning brings into focus just how complex the race to succeed PA Governor Ed Rendell this year has become.
    

For the first time in this region Dem gubernatorial aspirants Jack Wagner, PA Auditor General, and Dan Onorato, Chief Executive of Allegheny County, appeared in the same event.  However, Lt. Governor candidate Jonathan Saidel, former Philadelphia City Controller, appeared to have done the best job of encouraging Democrats to work harder.
    

His run for the No. 2 spot in state government, however, has made the Democrat primary outcome for the No. 1 spot less predictable.
    

Most activists here believe Onorato has the best chance to win the primary because of his record in Allegheny County and his takeover of the Rendell political machine and potent fundraising apparatus.  No one, however, is writing off Wagner who, in two successful runs for Auditor General, has garnered more votes than ex-AG powerhouses Bob Casey, Barbara Hafer and Bob Casey Jr.
    

Western PA Democrats believe Onorato or Wagner, also of Allegheny County, represent the best chance for a member of their party from this end of the state to occupy the governor’s mansion since David Lawrence, over a half-century ago.
    

There’s just one problem and it is in the form of a third Dem candidate for governor, former Congressman Joe Hoeffel, from Southeast PA.
    

Hoeffel ran a respectable race in losing to then-Republican Arlen Specter for US Senator in 2004.  He may just be the beneficiary of the higher-than-usual number of Philadelphia votes Saidel will pull in the May primary. Saidel has been a prolific vote-getter in the City of Brotherly Love in two decades.  His entry in the battle for No. 2 improves Democrats chance for retaining power in the state governor’s office.
    

Saidel’s hat in the ring creates more confusion.
    

While he is a decided asset in the fall race, if his primary vote helps Hoeffel to eke out the gubernatorial nomination in the Dem primary, there is less chance for that party to win in November.  Hoeffel is easily the most liberal candidate in the race, perhaps too liberal for PA.  In addition to all the normal left positions, most recently, Hoeffel had the gall to inject a graduated income tax into the discussion.
    

Even Rendell never promoted that issue.  Once separating Democrat leaders from the GOP bigwigs the lack of such a levy keeps PA at the top of the regression index..  That was long ago, when Democrats put principles ahead of getting elected or re-elected.  That’s another story.