Robert T. Conrad, Whig mayor of Philadelphia, 1854-1856.
For the first time in 159 years, Philadelphians have elected a Whig to public office – specifically, putting a member of the Modern Whig Party into a spot as judge of elections in Northeast Philadelphia’s 56th Ward, in the Rhawnhurst section.
Robert “Heshy” Bucholz, 39, a software engineer with four children and a fifth on the way, went door to door soliciting support from his neighbors and wound up garnering 36 votes, compared with 24 for his Democratic opponent, Loretta Probasco. As judge of elections, he’ll be in charge of his neighborhood polling place for the next four years, beginning with the primary election in May.