Blackwell cruises to re-election

and PETER MORRISON Last night seemed like just another night at the office for Congressman Lucien Blackwell. While a small crowd of people watched the televisions in Blackwell's Market Street headquarters, Blackwell sat behind his desk in his inner office, calmly eating a late dinner of fried chicken and potato salad, glancing over sheets of election tallies. When CBS Newscaster Dan Rather reported at 8:55 p.m. that Bill Clinton had carried New York, Blackwell looked up momentarily. "It's over," Blackwell said. "It's over." He then returned to his dinner and the tallies. At 9 p.m., Blackwell left his office and went to his headquarters' reception room to greet and thank his supporters. At 9:05 p.m., Blackwell claimed victory, somewhat anticlimactically. During his speech, some campaigners remained near Blackwell's office, more worried about the outcome of the presidential and senatorial races than of this one. Last night ended a nasty political campaign during which Blackwell's opponent, Republican Larry Hollin, depicted Blackwell as arrogant, unstable and incompetent. Blackwell responded by saying Hollin "lacks character" and lied about his qualifications for office. Blackwell called his win "a great win" over Hollin, who he said was "masquerading as an independent." With 90 percent of the votes counted last night, Blackwell was leading with 77 percent of the vote with Hollin taking 23 percent. "[Hollin] masqueraded as an independent when he knew he was a Republican, afraid to run with a president he knew was going to lose," he said. "We ignored him completely and we defeated him." Blackwell continued the attack on Hollin, calling him a "joke," and saying he ignored Hollin. "He was not an opponent and we want him to know this wasn't a race," Blackwell said. "This was nothing because we ignored you." Blackwell then proceeded to lead a chorus of "I am So Glad Jesus Loves Me." Then Blackwell and his supporters returned to what seemed like the real business of the evening -- checking on how fellow Democrats Clinton and Yeakel were doing. Blackwell's supporters said afterward that they were happy -- although not surprised -- with the results. "That was vintage Lucien Blackwell," West Philadelphia resident Lester Brown said. "You could see his belief in God, and his concern for senior citizens and all disenfranchised people." "He's an incredible speaker," Temple University graduate student Heidi King said. "As far as I'm concerned, on par with Martin Luther King."