Blackwell handily wins 4-way battle for U.S. House seat

For a proud moment last night, Lucien Blackwell was king of the "common people." Standing ten feet above the heads of a packed crowd of hot, sweaty supporters -- "this is one of the smallest campaign headquarters I've ever seen," one supporter remarked -- the newly elected U.S. Congressman was literally and figuratively on top of his world. Blackwell soundly defeated three opponents in last night's election to replace former Rep. William Gray as the representative of the congressional district that surrounds the University but does not include campus. A self-styled populist, Blackwell claimed in his victory speech at his headquarters on the 3900 block of Walnut Street that he had defied the pundits who said that his "down-to-earth" style would never win. With emotional words and sweeping hand gestures, Blackwell took center stage to declare his victory while thumbing his nose at those who "told me I had to have a national figure to run my campaign." "They told me I'd have to pay $150,000 to someone to do it so I could win," Blackwell said. "I have not paid anyone one cent." As of 1 a.m., with 97 percent of the divisions counted, Blackwell had garnered 39 percent of the vote -- 11 percent more than his closest rival, Consumer Party candidate and University alumnus Chaka Fattah. Blackwell celebrated his victory with his wife, Jannie -- who succeeded her husband on the City Council -- as they acknowledged their supporters and campaign workers who had battled during the four-week campaign. Addressing the motley crowd of slick television reporters, suit-clad campaign workers and street-clothed supporters, Blackwell used his ten-minute victory speech to thank everyone from the voters to God. With supporters consistently voicing their support, the 60-year-old Blackwell called for a "time of healing in this city" and reconciliation, saying that he would "forgive his enemies." Blackwell shook his fist as he savored a victory which vindicated his loss this spring in the Democratic primary mayoral race. Surrounded by his grandchildren and his closest advisors, the former Councilman commended his closest competitors, Fattah and Independent Candidate John White, for a race free of mudslinging. During the early hours of the long election night, Blackwell's anxious supporters watched the "Wheel of Fortune," as television crews tested equipment and campaign workers discussed their final strategy. But above, in the offices of the Blackwell campaign headquarters, the scene was much more subdued. Blackwell family members, friends and a small group of advisors talked softly as the television played in the background. The Blackwell campaign financial director, Howard Wiener, was pensive, saying that "until you find out [for sure], you're nervous." Blackwell, who was favored largely because he received the Democratic Pary's endorsement, was confident of victory earlier in the evening as he spoke of his appeal to the people, and his ties with the average West Philadelphian. Blackwell came down from his inner sanctum to acknowledge the crowd just as the polls closed at 8 p.m., predicting victory because of his 20-year "record" of "long service and service to people." Sounding extremely confident, he promised to buy everyone an ice-cream cone after it was all over and hurriedly returned to his office upstairs to await the tally from around West and North Philadelphia. The hordes of supporters cheered as televisions blared the latest returns during the two hours between the close of the polls and his victory speech. Later in an interview, Blackwell said he was not worried about following in the shadow of the powerful Gray, who was the House Majority Whip. "He took his shadow with him," Blackwell said. The campaign workers and supporters, some of whom have been with Blackwell since his early days as City Councilman, cited his "down to earth" style as the single most important factor during his political career. One campaign worker, who had come to the headquarters to drop off election results, became angry when several other workers refused to let him see Blackwell. The frustrated worker stormed out, saying, "I didn't work out there all day to wait here all night." Staff writer Scott Calvert contributed to this story.

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