It was announced this morning that former Governor Mark Schweiker is taking a position as Senior Advisor to the Government Affairs division of law firm Stradley Ronon. Schweiker will work with the firm in addition to his current position as President of Services for business consulting firm PWRT.
Needless to say, taking a high-profile position as a lobbyist does not seem like the move of someone planning a run for statewide public office. According to Stradley Ronon’s website, Schweiker’s division oversees activities including lobbying for legislation and seeking government contracts.
At first blush this is bad news for Republicans. A recent Public Policy Poll showed Schweiker as the most competitive prospective challenger to Senator Bob Casey, polling at 47-34. (Rick Santorum, who polled at 48-41 against Casey, is by all accounts running for President).
It appears that the GOP will have to go deeper into its bench to challenge Casey.
PoliticsPA will endeavor to confirm with the former Governor.
From the Stradley Ronon release:
Prior to joining the firm, Schweiker served as the 44th Governor of Pennsylvania from 2001 to 2003 and as the 28th Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania from 1995 to 2001. Schweiker was recognized for many leadership accomplishments during his tenure as governor including: greatly increasing state security after 9/11, assembling the largest urban reform plan in the history of American public education, and personally overseeing the successful rescue operation of nine trapped coal miners in Somerset County, Pa.
Subsequently, Schweiker served as president and CEO of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce where he oversaw the Chamber’s mission of promoting business development and economic growth in the greater Philadelphia region, advocated for sound public policy, and enhanced the services and programs available to the Chamber’s tri-state membership.
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The GOP needs to recruit Tom Ridge to run against Casey in 2012
I agree. Ridge for Senate in 2012!
why would ridge want to run for senator when he is essentially going to be the shadow governor of pennsylvania for the next 4 years
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bobby casey is a joke and the biggest empty suit in the senate. He does whatever chuck schumer tells him to. One term for sure whether Mark Or T.Ridge runs against him
Schweiker is a bigger empty suit (Casey I agree a close second) Ridge may be too smart for the job….can’t PA get qualified people to run not just career political DF’s like Schweiker? Can’t this idiot get another job??? Oh yeah, he can’t