A former Revenue Secretary in the Thornburgh administration with a resume deep on government service and academia is set to formally declare his candidacy in the 6th Congressional District, adding another Republican to what has quickly become one of the most crowded, competitive primaries in the state.

Howard Cohen, who runs a business consulting firm in Bala Cynwyd, told pa2010.com that he is likely to make an official announcement next week. But he has already filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission. And in considering the race over the last couple months, he said, he has met with party leaders in the district, in Harrisburg and in Washington, while also talking to the three Republicans already in the race.

“I have told people I’m running and I am running,” Cohen said in a phone interview Monday.

“I have been involved in political life and government life for over 40 years, and I am somewhat disappointed in the quality of political dialogue not only in the country but even in the neighborhood and certainly in the state,” he added. “I think the recent 101 days of the Commonwealth being withinout a budget is symptomatic of much deeper issues in the body politic. I have decided to run because I think, without being arrogant about it, that I can make a serious contribution to elevating the political dialogue in this region.”

At 68 years old and with years in public service at the state and federal levels, Cohen is a different candidate than his three competitors, contrasts that he seems sure to emphasize in constructing a campaign narrative. Aside from two years in the Thornburgh administration, he has worked as a legislative aide in Washington, served stints in the Nixon and Ford White Houses and said he was instrumental in the eventual folding of the Civil Aeronautics Board.

“Not many conservatives can say they helped put an unneeded agency of the federal government out of business,” Cohen said.

Along with significant experience working as both a professor and administrator in academia, and sprinkled with some private sector work, Cohen is presenting his qualifications for office as quite different from his opponents.

“I have a very sincere interest in managing government,” he said. “It’s time to put people in Congress who can cut government where appropriate and get down in the trenches where it matters.”

The political challenges he faces going forward are formidable. Businessman Steven Welch is pouring loads of his own money into funding a campaign, a factor that Cohen acknowledges creates a “financial David and Goliath” dynamic. State Representative Curt Schroder (R-Chester), meanwhile, has represented parts of the gerrymandered district for years, and Chester County Recorder of Deeds Ryan Costello is looking to run an energetic campaign. The winner of any primary will face a Democrat whose party is determined to capture the seat after years of getting tantalizingly close to knocking off incumbent Jim Gerlach, who is running for governor.

But Cohen says he’s ready for the challenge.

“At a time when things are bad in the country, if people who have an interest in public life and have been as lucky as I have been in my career, if we don’t get into politics, than I think the level of political discourse will continue to be bumper-sticker solutions for very complicated problems,” he said.

November 2, 2009 at 3:05 pm

--Dan Hirschhorn