Adam Lang

DENVER--In 18 years representing Philadelphia, U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah has never been seriously challenged in his overwhelmingly Democratic 2nd Congressional District.

This year, with a young political activist who only recently entered the race opposing him, he sees no reason why things should be any different.

"I'm going to be spending every day campaigning for Barack Obama and Joe Biden," Fattah told PolitickerPa.com this morning after the state delegation breakfast. "I'm not going to be spending any time worrying about my own election," he added.

GOP candidate for state Treasurer Tom Ellis went colonial for his turn at Daily News columnist Stu Bykofsky's Comedy NightPHILADELPHIA-There were jokes about John McCain's age. Jokes about Gov. Ed Rendell's robust figure. Jokes about Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter's nerdy voice. And, oh, were there ever jokes about Vince Fumo's witness list.

And that was all before Libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr made a surprise appearance.

It was one of the local political establishment's favorite nights here Tuesday night, as candidates for statewide races, Congressional races and down-ballot race joined a bevy of political insiders for Daily News columnist Stu Bykofsky's annual Candidates Comedy Night. In its 18th year, the fundraiser for a children's charity put more than a dozen political candidates on stage, not to campaign, but to make people laugh.

"The candidates before me tonight are not professional comics," Bykofsky warned his audience before U.S. Rep. Bob Brady opened the show. "They will prove that in a moment."

Adam Lang, a 30-year-old network engineer and ward chairman from North Philadelphia, will run against U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-Philadelphia) in the fall, Lang and the city's GOP announced Wednesday.

PolitickerPa.com reported last week that Lang was being considered as a possible candidate to run against the longtime incumbent Fattah after Republican Michael Livingston dropped out of the race in June.

It remains unclear who else, if anyone, was under serious consideration to replace Livingston on the ballot. But despite the near impossibility of a Republican beating Fattah in an overwhelmingly Democratic district, the 30-year-old Lang could provide some welcome energy in a city where Republican candidates rarely make much noise.

The 2nd Congressional District is largely made up of areas in Philadelphia, but also includes small parts of Montgomery County.

"Philadelphia and Montgomery County need an effective voice in Congress," Lang said in a statement. "I'm ready to help find solutions to the problems our region will face in the 21st century."

PHILADELPHIA - Almost two months after the Republican candidate challenging U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah dropped out of the race, the city GOP here is considering a young ward chairman from North Philadelphia to run against the longtime incumbent Democrat.

Adam Lang, who chairs the city's 29th ward in the Brewerytown and Sharswood neighborhoods, is one of the people being considered to replace Michael Livingston on the ballot, party Chairman Vito Canuso confirmed Thursday. He would not identify other people under consideration. A decision is expected sometime in August, Canuso said.

"There are other people, but no one has authorized me to let that be revealed," he said. "Fortunately, we have a couple of people that are interested, and we're going to select the best qualified."

Lang would be a markedly different candidate than Livingston, in more ways than one. Most of Fattah's 2nd Congressional District is in Philadelphia, but Livingston, a 52-year-old tenured law professor at Rutgers School of Law in Camdem, lives in Cheltenham. Lang, by contrast, is a 30-year-old network engineer who is tied into both younger and older Republican circles in the city.

Still, he would likely face just as difficult a race against Fattah as Livingston, running in an overwhelmingly Democratic district where Fattah has never been seriously challenged during his 18 years in the seat.

"I think he would make a superb candidate," Livingston told PolitickerPa.com. "He's young, he's in the city, and I think he's very plugged into groups that the Republican Party needs to connect to."