Ken Davis

Kenneth E. "Ken" Davis is a prominent lobbyist and Republican political figure in Pennsylvania. He is a long-term ally of controversial Republican National Committeeman Bob Asher, a mainstay in state-wide and Montgomery County Republican politics.^[1]

Education and career

He earned a degree from Moravian College and a Master's degree in government from American University.^[2] He began his career as a congressional aide to Pennsylvania Senator Hugh Scott in his Washington, DC office.^[2] He later worked as Director of Government Relations for Rohm and Haas, where he represented the company's interests before various levels of government.^[2]

He served as a member of the Pennsylvania Economic Development Financing Authority, a sub-cabinet board within the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, during the Ridge Administration.^[2] He served on the Private Sector Task Force on Management and Productivity during the Rendell Administration, where he wrote a study on commercial and economic development policies.^[2] He currently serves as a member of the Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority.

He is a lobbyist for Duane Morris, where he is Managing Director of the firm's government affairs division.^[2] Within that position, he specializes in Pennsylvania's gambling law as well as Marcellus Shale issues.^[2]

Montgomery County politics

He has served as a 15-year member and president of the Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania Board of Commissioners.^[2] He was considered as a possible Republican nominee for Montgomery County Commissioner, a nomination that went to eventual winner Tom Ellis.^[3]

County Republican Party

In 2004, long-time chairman of the Montgomery County Republican Committee, Frank Bartle retired, setting off a heated campaign between Davis and Robert J. Kerns that ended in controversy.^[4] Following the initial vote, which Davis won 329 to 328, Kerns alleged that proxy votes were improperly allocated in favor of Davis.^[4] Kerns filed a lawsuit in Common Pleas court, where a judge ruled that there were irregularities in the vote, but declined to overturn the result.^[5] In 2006, Davis defeated Kerns in a re-match.^[5] In 2008, Davis decided not to seek re-election, and returned full-time to his lobbying practice.

Support of Jim Matthews

During the early stages of the Republican 2006 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election, Davis and Bob Asher were instrumental in securing decisive support for Jim Matthews as the Republican nominee for Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor on a ticket with Lynn Swann^[6][7]

Feud with Bruce Castor

During an intra-party primary battle for the Republican Party nomination for Montgomery County Commissioner, Davis' lobbying contract worth $7,500 per month was criticized by District Attorney Bruce Castor as being inappropriate. Davis eventually gave up the contract. However, Castor continued his feud with Jim Matthews and his fellow Commissioner Tom Ellis, and announced his own candidacy for Commissioner in response to Davis' endorsement of the pair. Castor went on to defeat Ellis for the nomination, and won the other seat alongside Matthews. Matthews, however, made a deal with Democratic Commissioner Joe Hoeffel to govern the County, leaving Castor out of the arrangement.^[1][8][9]

References