in the side of the Republican party regulars. In 1937, he ran for city treasurer against the organization-backed candidate, David E. Watson (though with the backing of Republican Mayor Samuel Davis Wilson). Meehan lost by a two-to-one margin in the primary. After publicly toying with leaving the party, Meehan backed Watson and the rest of the Republican slate in the general election that November. Meehan, by this time elected the leader of the 35th Ward Republicans, continued his independent streak into the early 1940s. In 1941, he ran for the Republican nomination for city controller. Meehan represented the so-called "insurgent Republicans" against the party hierarchy, but he also had the support of United States Senator James J. Davis. He was unsuccessful again, losing to Alvin A. Swenson, but he tallied more votes than any of the other insurgents, with 73,135 to Swenson's 124,327. His growing popularity meant the organization could no longer treat Meehan as a mere nuisance. Sheriff In 1943, David W. Harris, the head of the Republican City Committee, approached Meehan about running for sheriff with the organization's backing. John M. Cummings of The Philadelphia Inquirer called the development "encouraging," writing that Meehan's business acumen, community work, and civic-mindedness would make him a "tower of strength" on the November ballot. Meehan was unopposed in the primary and won easily in the general election that fall, defeating Democrat Elmer Kilroy by more than 40,000 votes. Although he had come to office as an outsider, allegations of insider corruption were made about Meehan. Similar accusations about the entire Republican organization led many independent voters to shift toward the opposition. The Democratic candidate for mayor, Richardson Dilworth, accused Meehan of controlling illegal gambling in Northeast Philadelphia, among other crimes. In response to his repeated accusations, Meehan challenged Dilworth to a televised debate. Meehan was later persuaded that it would be a mistake to debate Dilworth, a skilled trial lawyer, and backed out; but Dilworth went on without him, haranguing an empty chair instead. Meehan was, nonetheless, reelected in 1947 with a 100,000-vote majority. It would be the last election the Republicans would dominate in the city. Party boss Decline of the Philadelphia Republicans With the death of Thomas Sovereign Gates in 1948, the last of the "old Philadelphia" upper-class leadership of the Republican Party was gone. That left Meehan, William F. Meade, and Morton Witkin as the remaining powers in the