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Governing Mag: PA-Gov a Tossup

Tom Corbett portrait loresGovernor Tom Corbett is 50/50 to retain his seat according to the latest rating of the 2014 elections by a national observer.

It’s a better forecast for Corbett than three other national pundits have given in the past month. Elections handicappers Larry Sabato, Stu Rothenberg and most recently the Washington Post have all said that the race actually leans in favor of Democrats.

Here’s the writeup from Governing:

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett (R)

Corbett’s liabilities continue to mount, and there is a growing sense that he may not be able to recover. A leaked Republican poll taken in April and May found that 65 percent of voters said Corbett didn’t deserve to be re-elected, with just 28 percent saying that he does. Even Republicans in that poll backed him by only a three-point margin. Making matters worse, Corbett recently suffered defeats in the GOP-controlled legislature, with a failure to approve any of his three big policy initiatives on infrastructure spending, liquor privatization and state employee pensions. It is those failures, say state GOP operatives, that have led to “rampant” speculation that calls for the governor to step aside will mount in the coming months. Corbett has time to recover, and having an actual Democratic opponent should help focus his message. But for now, he’s in dire need of some good news. On the Democratic side, U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz (who led Corbett by 10 points in a recent Quinnipiac poll) and state Treasurer Rob McCord occupy the first tier, with former White House environmental staffer Katie McGinty and former revenue commissioner Tom Wolfe also potential challengers. The way things look now, Pennsylvania’s post-World War II streak of giving each party exactly eight years at a time in the governorship is at serious risk of coming to an end.

7 Responses

  1. I have the same questions and I think the Kane Freed shellacking where Corbett’s crony and Brabender client, Dave Freed, received 92,000 fewer votes than row office candidate for Treasurer Diana Irey Vaughan is empirical evidence that many others have the same questions. http://www.mcall.com/news/nationworld/pennsylvania/mc-pa-corbett-summer-makeup-20130721,0,6196994,full.story

    From the Morning Call Steve Esack 21 July 2013

    “Michaels said Centre County residents and Penn State alumni want Corbett to answer these questions: Why did it take his office so long to get Sandusky off the street and were any other children abused during the grand jury probe? Why did he vote, as a member of the university’s board of trustees, to fire Paterno? Why did he attempt to sue the NCAA for penalties he initially supported?”

  2. Dear Ms. Gromis-Baker, Corbett Chief of Staff,: Welcome aboard!! Free Advice and questions. 1. Please feel free to make as many fees and hire as many relatives to the Corbett administration, as you desire. This is a great perk of the job. Don’t deny yourself. 2. You were part of the Ridge Team. Now that you are aboard the Corbett funeral train are going to open the Ridge Files to find out why PAGOP Chair Rob Gleason was not re-appointed to the Turnpike Commission, when Ridge was Governor? I know Tom Ridge was not as popular as your guy, but there must have been a reason to let Rob Gleason, leave a high profile position in the Ridge Administration? 3. Now for the free advice: Why not get Brabender to totally donate his fees to your guy? Let Brabender feel the pain too? Is John Brabender running a political consultancy practice or a high-priced political Morgue? Isn’t it time Brabender donated back to Pennsylvania? 4. Finally I’d love to be a Knight of Corbett’s Round Table. I have some DNA analysis to show that we are really distant relatives. I am ready to step aboard the funeral train of this decomposing political body for the right high price!! 5. Is PAGOP Chair Gleason and Mr. Brabender going to serve up some awful racist ads that will stir up the African-American vote in an off-year election? As Always, I’ve hope I’ve been helpful.

  3. Changing staff like one changes socks is not a formula for success. Do not look for national politics to effect Pennsylvania all that much. Washington and the nation are one thing. Things Pennsylvanian are another.

    We went from 7th in job creation to 46th, under this governor, who governs entirely for special interests. He just here lately signed a measure allowing forced pooling of a land owner’s deep gas rights, then attended a gala birthday soiree for himself, hosted by an energy company. Accepting lavish personal gifts, trips and dodads is apparently not illegal in PA.

    Corbett is the highest paid governor in the country. We have the second most expensive legislatures, while far more populous states like Texas and California have half the number of lawmakers – who work part-time. This while our unemployment is among the highest in the nation. The reason? The governor says we cannot pass a drug test.

    Cuts to education have been crippling. Our roads and bridges are among the nation’s worst. What does the governor beg for in the 11th hour of the budget negotiations? More money for schools and bridges? No. He wants to kill the liquor control board, even though everyone now sees there is no windfall money in it for the state, and will only derail a $700 million/year money train..

    Speaking of the reprehensible, Kathleen Kane appointed her special investigator for the Sandusky scandal last February, H. Geoffrey Moulton, Jr. This is the guy who investigated the Waco debacle. If there is a smoking cannon, he’ll find it. I look for the report to be released in October, 2014.

  4. Of course the PAGOP Chair preparing his own draft bid is Rob Gleason. Just wanted to be clear. He is a brilliant strategist. His racially devisive remarks on the benefits of voter suppression are again aimed at firing up the Tea Party, who think African Americans in Philadelphia are blood sucking parasites. Rob Gleason for Governor. Coming to your homes soon.

  5. Ms. Gromis-Baker is good at events-can she organize a stop of Corbett’s Decomposing political body’s funeral train for a tasteful final viewing in the Lobby of the Paterno Library State College, PA……. Meanwhile PAGOP Chair cracks the whip in front of Pennsylvania African Americans and African American activists around the nation not to help Corbett but to establish his TeaParty creds for his Run to succeed Corbett……Brilliant I say!!!!

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