Brendan Boyle and dad Frank on a visit home to Glen
BRENDAN F BOYLE – the son of a janitor from Glencolmcille – has scored a sensational Primary election victory over the Clintons to win the right to represent the Democrats in this year’s battle for Congress.
And Mr Boyle, savouring his victory, told Donegal Daily he wanted to thank people in his father’s native county for their support adding: “I wish everyone in Donegal was able to vote for me!”
His dad Frank is a native Irish speaker from Glencolmcille who left Ireland in 1970 aged 19 and who now works on Philadelphia’s public transport system.
Brendan faced a battle against the Clinton family over the right to run, seeing off Margorie Margolies, mother-in-law of Chelsea Clinton, to be the Democratic pick for Pennsylvania’s 13th congressional district in a major win for the 37-year-old state representative.
Brendan is a state representative, which covers parts of Northeast Philadelphia and Montgomery County. His brother Kevin also serves Pennsylvania, following in his brother’s footsteps in 2010 – to become the first brothers to serve together in the state legislature.
Brendan told Donegal Daily: “I’ve been to Donegal many times. I think it’s one of the most beautiful places in the world. Of course, I guess I am a bit biased.
“My brother Kevin, who is also an elected official in the state House, decided to have his wedding in Donegal in 2011. It was a wonderful time.”
The working class rooted family fought off the wealth of the Clintons who hosted 1,000 dollar a head dinners to raise money to beat the Boyles.
But Brendan won through.
Boyle captured 55 percent of the vote; Margolies, 23 percent.
Boyle won in a race that was originally billed as Margolies’ to lose, but she never picked up the necessary momentum, despite receiving endorsements and fundraising assistance from her in-laws, former President Bill Clinton and former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
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