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Corbett Will Seek Re-Election

In case Tom Corbett’s 2014 plans were unclear, the Governor says he will seek a second term.

The Allentown Morning Call reported the news:

“There’s been a tradition since [former Gov.] Milton Shapp” of governors serving two terms, “and I have no plans to break that tradition,” Corbett said during a news conference at a state Department of Transportation garage in Harrisburg. “This is not a formal announcement, but I have no plans to break that tradition.”

It’s not a guarantee. Corbett’s poll numbers have been upside down for most of the past year, sometimes net negative by more than 10 points.

A Public Policy Polling memo, flagged by Early Returns, lists Corbett among “Folks in a whole lot of trouble”:

Many of the Republicans who were swept into office by the wave election of 2010 may have a hard time winning a second term if 2014 doesn’t prove to be another huge year for their party.

In Pennsylvania Tom Corbett trails a generic Democrat 47/37. In Maine Paul LePage trails a hypothetical opponent from the opposite party 49/41. Both of them became unpopular pretty early in their terms and have stayed that way.

Some big name Democrats – including Sen. Bob Casey, Treasurer Rob McCord, and former Rep. Joe Sestak – have been named possible contenders.

(Who do you think should challenge Corbett? Vote in PoliticsPA’s reader poll.)

Whether one of those top tier candidates decides to give it a run remains to be seen.

There are also rumors of a potential Republican primary challenge from the wing of the party that’s upset with the slow pace of conservative legislation.

19 Responses

  1. It’s time we get someone who is for the people. This of attacking people’s pension, raising taxes on gasoline and not getting a dime for all the gas drilling is down right stupid. I’ll bet he has one heck of a retirement plan and health plan, not to mention his nice salary we are paying. It’s time to find someone who will work for us not against us.

  2. I feel Kane’s landslide would be a look in the mirror moment for our dictator, but he is too smug.
    http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/kane-says-corbett-probably-played-politics-with-sandusky-case-1.1379529

    Our dictator’s budget cuts and lack of oversight and deregulation of Cyber and many private schools have assassinated the education of children in poverty districts.

    http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/news/education/millions-flow-to-beaver-county-based-pa-cyber-schools-spinoffs-644756/

    http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/state/pa-cyber-ceos-consulting-work-questioned-662620/#ixzz2CamoyP5p

  3. Corbett had a exceptional oportunity to generate untold millions of dollars from the Marcellus Shale gas industry yet he continues to let the chance slip away.He could have basically solved the public pension funding issue with a long term approach instead of a flat out give away.Does Corbett really think the gas companies would walk if he maximized the benefits of the gas discovery to the benefit of Pa. tax payers?
    I don’t think so money talks and they would have played instead of selling out the people. Corbett like most Republicans is not good for Pa.

  4. Corbett was a teacher for one year. There is almost no discussion about this on the internet. I would love to know why someone goes to college, student teaches, and then leaves after one year. Did something happen that fuels his hatred of teacher’s unions and funding public schools?

  5. I think the Presidential election showed Corbett that Pennsylvanians value educated children and a clean evironment over his self indulgence and doing what “he” thinks is right. If can’t see that, he is not truely representing the people of the state. He’s using the office to make friends in business that he will be able to call up after he is no longer in power. He gave $30 million to an airline to build a fuel refinery and doesn’t tax the gas drilling companies but cuts $1 billion dollars from education. He says “he’s” not raising taxes, but when school district do not recieve funding and need to compensate, guess what the only option is? That’s right, to raise property tax, and they do have that power. Corbett is an old school, grease ball, politician and needs to go.

  6. Jordan Gwendolyn Davis…the type of candidate you just described…were you hoping to defeat the Governor or give him the easiest re-election path? Point of advice: don’t quit your day job — political consulting may not be for you.

    That said, heading into 2014, it will be interesting to see if the Corbett camp actually starts to defend themselves in public and becomes more politically savvy. Based on their track record, I’m not optimistic because, policy aside, the Governor hasn’t proven to be a very good politician…in my humble opinion, of course.

  7. Corbett has done many of the unpopular things that the state needs in his first two years in office. We will see the benefits of these actions in the next two years. Thanks to these actions Pennsylvania is not another Greece, California of Illinois.

    I can not see any major Republican opposing him in a primary. People that play Intrade will make money on his reelection.

  8. Bitter GOP primary fight? Let’s hope Corbett comes out of it bloody, and financially broke.

  9. Someone will step to challenge Corbett unless he makes a major turn around in the next six-eight months. If it becomes evident that he will lose in the General Election, a challenger from the SE will get traction and financing.

  10. Out of all the Montco candidates, Allyson Schwartz is the best.

    I do not want Casey, no way, he is a blue dog and would be Onorato redux. And Nutter is doing everything to troll the city of Philadelphia, and his little 8% sales tax BS will not play well elsewhere in the state (my prediction, Nutter would lose every county except his own).

  11. Corbett is in major trouble if turnout is strong in 2014, and odds are that it will. The state is disgusted over 1) education cuts 2) Sandusky 3) fracking. Has Corbett shown leadership on ANY issue? Only press we ever see from Corbett is on “Hooray, we cut the budget.” “We conducted the Sandusky investigation properly,” and “A storm is coming.” The Republicans in SE PA are even disgusted because he does not even engage them over their issues or concerns.

    Challengers should be interesting… I think the top three should be:

    – Sestak: polarizing figure and Dems do not really like him. If you have two ‘unlikable’ candidates, can Corbett eek out a win? Then again, the Campaign Group did a great job against Toomey…

    – McCord: he has a strong image and is mostly known to the Dems, not the state at large despite being on the ballot. Treasurer is not very high profile. He can fundraise. However, he is ‘dirtier’ than most people realize with regard to his Fumo/Phila connections.

    – Robin Wiessmann: woman from Bucks County and highly respected among PA Dem women, Treasurer preceding McCord. Not a career politician. However, low name recognition and has not run a race before.

    ALL are based in voter-rich SE PA and should draw votes.

    Others?

    Casey: do not think he will leave the Senate and he will be eligible for major leadership posts soon, though he could easily win. And he did not have to try to hard against Santorum either. Campaign abilities remain a question.

    Shapiro: just started cleaning up MontCo. Plus would chair Marcel Groen let McCord and Shapiro go at it in the same primary?

    Schwartz: again, Marcel Groen may come into play. Schwartz has a safe seat and could obtain a major leadership post in the near future. Doubt you would want to see MontCo split on Schwartz and McCord, and then add Shapiro? No way…

    Nutter: sights are set on higher i.e. federal position if you can read the ’12 election tea leaves.

    Knox: if there is an open office, Knox is running. Mayor is his target, as usual.

    Don’t know much about Pawlowski or Leach.

  12. Oh yeah, and the next Democratic governor of Pennsylvania should have a desire to set down the groundwork for a repeal of the uniformity clause, which has been choking this state for goddess knows how long. Or, at least allow Philadelphia and Allegheny Counties to be exempt (flat taxes may work for Pike and Venango county, but they are disastrous in urban settings.

  13. Well we can beat Corbett in 2014 and pat toomey in 2016 if the Democratic work together and elect Hillary Clinton for president

  14. I think that we Democrats need to have much higher standards for our candidates if we want to be able to knock off Corbett. Here is what is needed of our standard bearer in this important election.

    1. The Democratic candidate for governor should be able to say these eight words and follow through on them, they are “fracking should be banned in all of Pennsylvania”. If they can’t say that, they are a wuss who doesn’t deserve our nod.
    2. The Democratic candidate for governor should be adamant about restoring Adult Basic and General Assistance, if not, they are just as bad as the Republicans.
    3. The Democratic candidate for governor should state that he would sign SB400 (universal healthcare) into law, should it ever reach their desk.
    4. The Democratic candidate for governor should be pro-choice; there is absolutely no reason they should have to sell reproductive rights up the Susquehanna just to get a few bigots to vote for them.
    5. The Democratic candidate for governor should support full LGBT equality (passing HB300 should be first priority) and should agree with Liberty City Democrats on all of their soon-to-be ratified platform.
    6. The Democratic candidate for governor should not necessarily worry about what most people west of the Susquehanna, but not in Allegheny or Erie counties, think. The central and rural west of the state may be trending conservative, but its declining, while the Delaware Valley is trending liberal and growing, and many of the west-of-Susquehanna interests are extremely hostile to the growing east-of-Susquehanna interests. Philadelphia, the suburbs, the Poconos, the Lehigh Valley, the Capital Region, and Allegheny and Erie Counties are the only parts of the state Dems should really worry about (although the small level ag sector, as well as hunters, should also be catered to as well).
    7. The Democratic candidate for governor should be able to say no to vouchers, and be able to communicate the fact that vouchers will increase property taxes.

    We need progressive leadership, we need a contrast to Corbett, and if we get another Onorato (who is anti-choice, anti-transgender, pro-voucher, and pro-fracking), we are going to lose badly, and may even make this Philly Democrat vote third party or write in.

  15. I am trying to contact you with a question. Is it true the entire state of PA. will wave the de-ductable for insurance claims because of the storm Sandy? Our de-ductable is very high. Sincerely Yours Ronnie Gotzon age 62

  16. I hope Corbett stays in office, he’s doing what others are afraid to do, make cuts! He needs to really go after welfare fraud and the teachers unions.
    And if they are going to go after Corbett for Penn State they need to go after Critz for what he did with women!
    http://www.citizensagainstmarkcritz.com/

  17. What does it say about your chances for reelection when you have to announce you are planning to run for reelection?

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