Comments on: Murphy Not Running for Gov

By: James Dougherty

James Dougherty — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 19:56:08 +0000

I Think that Patrick Murphy would of made a good Governor for Pa he would of done a lot of good things for the state of pa i know that he would of worked hard for the people.

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 14:53:33 +0000

I would say LT. Gov. But, all the Gov. candidates seem to come from SEPA. The LT Gov will need to come out of WB/Scranton or Pitt or even Erie. We will see what the future holds.

The field for Gov looks like it will be Sestak, Schwartz and McCord. Who ever does not get the Gov seat will run for the Senate seat in 2016!

By: David Diano

David Diano — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 17:22:42 +0000

Doylestown Dave-
I watched the first debate between Murphy and Kane at PA Progressive Summit. I can’t recall seeing a smarmier candidate who acted like he was “too cool for school”. He barely answered a single question, and just kept bringing up that he had been in Iraq.

I think his early front-runner status was based solely on his name recognition. But, it was also clear that he was interested in running for governor and using AG as a stepping stone. I’ve talked to people who supported him and attended his fundraiser who couldn’t get a decent answer about why he wanted to be AG (… because he really wanted to run for Gov).

When you look at the campaign ads, his were all rubber stamp endorsements by top politicos. Kane’s ads were her talking into the camera about why she wanted to be AG.

The voters can sometimes spot a phony who isn’t really interested in the job they are running for. We needed an AG who actually wanted to be AG.

By: Baxter G

Baxter G — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 17:07:27 +0000

I am surprised that Katie McGinty’s name has not appeared on this site as a gubernatorial potential. She is from the Rendell and Clinton camps (and now Obama) and could likely garner significant funds with her connections. Robin Wiessmann would be another potential from that “camp.” The race needs a progressive yet serious Democratic woman. Kathleen Kane may be just the start… some people may take issue, but I’ve found that competent women perform well with a no BS approach against someone as incompetent and “dirty” as Corbett.

By: Doylestown Dave

Doylestown Dave — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 16:44:18 +0000

I agree with Colonial Cadet.

Murphy is a workhorse… any study of his time in Congress would reveal that. To say he relies on his face/name doesn’t take into consideration any of the facts of his record or his campaigning style.

By: David Diano

David Diano — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 16:41:29 +0000

Colonial Cadet-
Murphy’s got the three traits a candidate needs to lose: smugness, over reliance on looks/name recognition, and a failure to develop a compelling reason to elect him. (his service in Iraq is not a compelling reason to elect him)

Doylestown Dave:
In 2010, Murphy was an incumbent and had money.

For Sestak’s seat, Lentz was not only facing a darling puppet of the Delco GOP machine, but the Sestak senate campaign has sucked up all the volunteers (not to mention GOTV on Republicans that would vote for Sestak, but not Lentz).

Also, the Dem party abandoned Brookvar and a lot of PA congressional candidates in 2012, and the redistricting made it worse..

By: Doylestown Dave

Doylestown Dave — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 16:08:01 +0000

In 2010, Murphy only lost by 7 points in a GOP leaning district in a GOP wave.

Same year, Sestak’s seat lost by 11, Trivedi lost by 14, Carney lost by 11, Dahlkemper by 11.

And in 2012, a Dem year, Fitzpatrick won by 14… so to say Murphy is done is just wrong. He’s got another run left in him.

By: Colonial Cadet

Colonial Cadet — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 15:58:06 +0000

Haters are going to hate. People who have barely a clue about the political reality in Pennsylvania will hit the message boards hard… but that doesn’t make them right.

Patrick Murphy has the only three traits that an elected official needs – he is a good man, a hard worker, and has smarts in spades. Whenever he decides to get back in the game, I will have his back.

By: ModerateGOPer

ModerateGOPer — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 15:34:48 +0000

The problem with Murphy was he lied to the district. He sold us on him being a “blue dog” but as soon as Obama won, he morphed into a Daily Kos/huffington posting progressive! He voted 98% with Nancy Pelosi (except for the gimme votes he made to look independent, as if people in the 8th were so stupid we didn’t know what they were doing)! If he didn’t vote for cap&trade, and not EVERY piece of spending pushed in 09, he may still be our congressman, even WITH his obamacare vote… He gave himself no cover for being a Pelosi lapdog. This hurt him for AG, and in an off year GOV election without a democrat presidential candidate giving him coattails, would spell strike three for him!

By: Susan

Susan — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 15:15:40 +0000

Murphy’s just not a very good politician. He got spanked in 2010. Yes it was a GOP wave year. But still, Democratic congressmen like Holden, Altmire, and Critz were all able to hold on and win in 2010 – and they each ha much tougher districts than Murphy.
Then in 2012 he was exposed further. Kane beat him decisively.
It’s over for him.