After a tough week of negative poll results, Governor Corbett hoped to inspire some constituent support as he visited the iconic Pittsburgh restaurant, Primanti Brothers, today with GOP Governor and possible 2016 Presidential contender Chris Christie.
Governors Corbett and Christie entered Primanti’s, packed with lunchgoers, amidst cheers and exclamations of surprise from patrons. The Governors worked the crowd, pausing for photos and exchanging kind words with both Primanti’s customers and staff. The men interacted with families seated in the Primanti’s booths, and Governor Corbett affirmed his commitment to his constituents.
Coming at the end of a week in which Rasmussen, PPP, and Quinnipiac polls found him trailing Democratic challenger Tom Wolf by at least 20 points, the Governor sought to gain ground today through speaking with voters.
Corbett and Christie fielded few questions but one intrepid reporter inquired about the choice of Primanti’s as a locale, given that Corbett and Christie have both recently lost weight.
Corbett emphasized his belief in the private sector, and in the importance of supporting local businesses through low tax rates. “Primanti’s is a great spot to visit in Pittsburgh, this restaurant is a tourist spot, and an important thriving local business,” he said.
In addition to the lively atmosphere inside the restaurant, a crowd of Tom Wolf supporters gathered outside. The protesters brandished signs mocking Corbett’s supposed cuts to education and his reluctance to impose a severance tax on the natural gas industry.
Governors Corbett and Christie also attended a fundraiser earlier today for Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati. The two Governors last appeared together in January, when Corbett stood beside Christie during the George Washington Bridge controversy.
The Corbett campaign is glad to have the support of the New Jersey Governor, as Christie is the chair of the Republican Governor’s Association.
The Wolf campaign released the following statement concerning Christie’s visit, which notably did not mention Governor Christie by name:
“While Governor Corbett campaigns with out of state politicians, Pennsylvania is facing a $1.4 billion budget deficit, we have fallen to the bottom in job creation, drastic cuts to education have hollowed out our schools, and Governor Corbett refuses to pass a severance tax on big oil and gas companies to help fund education. We need to change the culture in Harrisburg, invest in our future, and give Pennsylvania a fresh start.”
Nancy Patton Mills, chair of the Allegheny County Democratic Committee, on the other hand had no qualms going after the New Jersey Governor.
“Corbett’s appearance with Chris Christie – best known for creating major traffic disruptions when his administration closed access to the world’s busiest bridge in a petty political snit – is guaranteed to make life difficult for the hundreds of thousands of workers and celebrants converging on downtown. We will experience a small taste of the traffic jam Chris Christie imposed on the people of Fort Lee, NJ for daring to be Democrats.”
Expect more events like this from Governor Corbett this summer as he seeks to bolster his numbers as November approaches.
3 Responses
Nancy Liar Mills ought to know that you don’t win new voters by lying. Her first statement was accurate: Christie’s ADMINISTRATION closed the bridge lanes. Her second statement, “traffic jam Chris Christie imposed,” is a flat-out lie and would be cause for a libel suit if Christie weren’t a public figure. So I’m supposed to vote the way a liar suggests? Hah. Hit Corbett and Christie, hit them hard (both have legit faults) but let’s keep it clean, huh?
How many bridges were closed today???
Two fiscally incompetent Republican governors who overstate revenues and under-fund their state pension funds.