By Sean Coit
PoliticsPA
sean@politicspa.com

While speaking with PoliticsPA, Joe Watkins made one thing very clear:  He wants Tom Corbett to be the next governor of Pennsylvania, and he’ll do whatever he can to help make that happen.

Watkins, who wears several different hats as a pastor, business owner, and political analyst (among other things) is a candidate for Lieutenant Governor angling to establish himself in a low-profile, but important statewide race.

“My approach to the campaign is to really work hard. I think Tom Corbett is the best candidate for governor and a candidate that I’m going to work really hard to support.  I’ve already been to almost every county in the state, some of them 2 or 3 times.  It’s been outstanding, it’s just been wonderful.”

Watkins, a political commentator on MSNBC and pastor of Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Philadelphia, said that while traveling across the state, he’s met frequently with local county chairmen and GOP leaders.

 “I’m not just talking to them, I’m hearing what they have to say,” Watkins said.  “I’m hearing the same things again and again which is we need to have a governor that will create jobs for us.”

Watkins’ government background (he worked in the U.S. Senate and as an aide to Pres. George H.W. Bush), paired with his years as a business owner, has helped create his platform based on experience and fiscal responsibility.

“People want an environment that is business friendly that will allow small business owners not only to survive but more importantly to thrive,” Watkins said.  “They want to reduce regulation, do something about taxing, so businesses can thrive, create more jobs and hire more people.”

Watkins is hosting a meet-and-greet in New York City this Saturday as part of the annual Pennsylvania Society festivities, an event that could serve as an important gauge for GOP insiders’ opinions of the potential Corbett running mate.  Some within the party believe that his resume and Philadelphia roots would make him a perfect compliment to Corbett.

“I think the main idea is to show people why I’m the best candidate to run with Tom Corbett for Lieutenant Governor and I think what helps is the fact that I’ve got a diverse background,” Watkins said. 

Watkins, who isn’t shy of cameras or crowds, could greatly benefit from his event in New York.

“I have the advantage of having been on national television for the last eight years as a paid political analyst and commentator, so that’s been a huge help for me as far as knowing how to effectively communicate with lots of people,” he said.

Watkins is one of a wide array of Republican lieutenant governor candidates.  The party has so many of them, in fact, that it has become a running joke among many Republicans.

Watkins, state Rep. Tom Killion, Chester County Commissioner Carol Aichele and Bucks County Commissioner Jim Cawley are considered front-runners for the position.

This entry was posted on Thursday, December 10th, 2009 at 4:09 pm and is filed under Front Page Stories. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.