Acknowledging that the 2012 presidential election is the more pressing issue, Chadds Ford Township Supervisor Deborah Love has already kicked off her 2013 re-election bid. Love, a two-term Republican supervisor whom the party has not yet endorsed, began her campaign with a fund-raiser at Brandywine Prime on Sept. 24.

When asked why she wants a third term, Love said, “I enjoy this. I think I do a relatively good job because I get positive feedback from residents, and I like giving back to the community.”

She couldn’t think of anything specific as her best accomplishment during her first two terms, but two residents active in township government — solicitor Hugh Donaghue and Planning Commission Chairman Craig Huffman — spoke positively of her record.

Donaghue said be was supporting Love because “the township has been moving in the right direction and we want to keep it moving in that direction.”

Huffman echoed Donaghue saying, “Deb’s been a terrific supervisor. She’s done wonderful things for Chadds Ford and I want to see that continue.”

Noticeably absent from the event, however, were Republican Party leader Mary Kot and other members of the executive committee or other old guard Republicans.

Love said she is not aware of any challenge from within the Republican Party, but is not unaccustomed to contested races.

She challenged incumbent Harvey Kliman for the Republican Party nomination in the spring primary of 2001 and faced Democratic Party challenger Rhona Klein for supervisor in the 2007 general election when she won her second term in office.

“I’m preparing for anything that could possibly happen,” Love said. “It goes in cycles. It seems that there’s competition when I run.”

Kot, in a telephone interview the day after the fund-raiser, said Love’s event was “premature.”

“We have not endorsed her. We’re interviewing people, so we’re disappointed she’s moved forward.”

Kot added that the party is focused on this year’s presidential race and will deal with the supervisor’s race later.

Love decided to have a fund-raiser this early because, she said, she wanted to start adding to her war chest now.

“From past elections I learned that you need money to run with or without an opponent, whether it’s April or November.”

Love is currently working on a project with U.S. Rep. Pat Meehan’s office to get some addresses changed in the township.

There are residents and businesses in Chadds Ford that have West Chester postal codes. Love said she’s trying to get those addresses changed to Chadds Ford where they belong.

“A number of residents have had trouble getting services, either for their children or because they’re seniors, because they have to defend that they’re actually a Delaware County resident, not a Chester County resident. That’s my current thing and, if I’m successful I think that’s great for a portion of our community.”

Love holds two positions with Crozer Hospital. She’s the administrative director of nursing and the director of marketing. She has two master’s degrees, one in nursing and one in business.