David Oh, GOP Battle Over “Resign to Run”

Councilman wants officials free to run for new offices. His party doesn't.

The Daily News reports that Councilman David Oh and the Philly GOP are at odds over Oh’s proposal — on the primary ballot next month — to end the “resign to run” rule that forces elected officials to give up their seat if they want to campaign for a different office. What’s odd about the dispute: Oh is a Republican.

In a strange exchange, Oh and his own party duked it out on Twitter earlier this week, with @PhillyGOP writing, “corruption, cronyism, wage tax, storm water charge, BIRT hurt our City. Pretty sure resign to run doesn’t crack top 50.”

Oh responded: ” ‘Resign to run’ lessens our voice in all matters where we need support and cooperation from Harrisburg including public education.” He cited groups that have endorsed the measure, including the good-government nonprofit Committee of Seventy, which is led by former Daily News editor Zack Stalberg.

Voters rejected a version of Oh’s proposal in 2007.