by KYW's Mike Dunn

Despite the crushing defeat of Al Taubenberger for mayor (see related story), Philadelphia Republicans insist that one day -- some day -- they could reclaim control of the mayor's office. 

Mike Meehan, chief counsel to the Republican City Committee, is ever optimistic:

"There's going to come a time that a Republican's gonna be mayor."

Meehan bases his optimism on GOP mayors in other Democratic cities and states:

"If you look at New York and places like Indianapolis -- Republicans get elected. You know places like Massachusetts, they've elected Republican governors and they have nine percent Republican registration."

So Meehan says its just a matter of finding a viable candidate, and one who can start raising money now because of the city's fundraising restrictions.

By the way, the last Republican Mayor of Philadelphia was Bernard Samuel. That was sixty years ago.