Chester County GOP Chair and Stradley Ronon lawyer, Val DiGiorgio, is one of two names floated as a possible replacement for longtime state Republican Party Chairman, Rob Gleason, writes Ryan Briggs for City and State Pennsylvania.

“I have been approached by a number of legislative and party leaders about running for state Republican Party Chairman,” said DiGiorgio. “I am seriously considering running for the post next year.”

Lawrence Tabas, an attorney with Center City Philadelphia’s Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel and counsel for the state party, is also thought to be a strong contender.

While acknowledging both men as likely candidates, Stradley Chairman, William Sasso, a major Republican fundraiser, threw his support behind his colleague. “Val has exercised tremendous leadership in Chester County,” he said.

“He has the respect of people from every different ideological stripe. It’s good to have two good candidates, but Val is southeastern Pennsylvania’s choice.”

The potential change in leadership is due to ongoing discontent over the disastrous judicial showing last year by Republicans, which gave Democrats an overwhelming majority on the state Supreme Court. Some sources put the blame for defeat on Gleason and the committee’s failure to better focus resources on judicial races.

Donald Trump’s ascendancy has others wondering if that spells trouble for down the ballot GOP candidates such as Pat Toomey, who is running for reelection to the US Senate against Democrat Katie McGinty.

Losing the United States Senate race, one of the most closely watched in the country, would almost surely mean the party would have to rethink its leadership in the keystone state.

Megan Sweeney, spokesperson for the state party, said that it was still too early to discuss any possible leadership changes ahead of board elections next February. She also did not say if Gleason would stand for another term as chair.

Read more about the possible change in leadership at City and State Pennsylvania here.

Check out our Chester County Leadership interview with DiGiorgio here.