Another week means another intriguing series of events in the state’s governor’s race. Bob Guzzardi seems intent on following through with his threat to get on the GOP primary ballot, while the Governor is focusing all his attention on building support in the general election. Meanwhile, Democrats Hanger and McGinty sought to put the spotlight on unfair pay and college affordability respectively.

Bob Guzzardi

The conservative activist and businessman Bob Guzzardi is following through on his pledge to try to make the Republican gubernatorial primary ballot. Yesterday Guzzardi sent out a mass email asking for volunteers to help circulate petitions in order to get enough signatures to make the ballot.

“I do not intend to spend any money and I am not asking for any contributions,” he writes. “I do not know how many people are actually angry enough to put someoe [sic] on the ballot who is independent of the Republican Party leadership. Denying Tom Corbett is to defeat a discredited and duplicitous [sic] State Republican (?) Leadership(?). I have as much chance of winning next November as does Tom Corbett.”

Guzzardi’s message, which includes a few clip art drawings and some photos of the Governor, accuses Corbett of being funded by allies of President Obama and collaborating with former Governor Ed Rendell and labor unions to pass the gas tax.

“Bad things happen when good people do nothing,” he concludes.

Tom Corbett

The incumbent, meanwhile, isn’t showing any concern about a possible primary challenge and instead is focusing on highlighting his connections to the state’s veterans. To that end, Tom Corbett and Jim Cawley announced the creation of “Veterans for Corbett-Cawley”.

The group will be led by Congressman Scott Perry who is also a Colonel in the 166th Regiment of the PA Army National Guard. The Governor and Lt. Governor will make the announcement at the Mechanicsburg VFW.

“As a veteran, Governor Corbett understands and has supported the mission, service and sacrifice of Pennsylvania’s active military and nearly 1 million veterans, including the more than 19,000 members of the Pennsylvania National Guard,” the campaign’s press release stated.

John Hanger

John Hanger turned his focus onto Philadelphia cab drivers and their working conditions this week. His campaign unveiled a new web video which spotlights the pay struggle the city’s cab drivers face. Ronald Blount, the President of the Taxicab Workers Alliance of Pennsylvania joined the candidate as he spoke with the city’s cab drivers about their profession.

“Pennsylvanians are working harder and getting less from this unfair economy. For example, Philadelphia’s cab drivers are some of the hardest working people in the City,” Hanger said. “They do this essential and sometimes dangerous work making an average of $5.00 an hour. But they are getting ripped off by taxi company owners who are charging them outrageous medallion fees. Between the medallion fee and other fees and gas, taxi workers are left sometimes as much as $1000 in the hole for a week no matter how hard they work.”

This is a matter of justice and opportunity for these hard working cab drivers and all hard-working Pennsylvanians,” Hanger concluded. “It’s about basic human rights.”

Katie McGinty

Katie McGinty focused on college affordability this week as she released her plan for higher education along with an accompanying video. The YouTube video is the latest of a series of “Katie Direct” spots that the campaign has been putting out.

The web video shows McGinty listening to students at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown tell their own stories about how hard it is to afford a higher education.

“In a McGinty Administration, we are going to invest in our young people,” McGinty states. “I want our young people to be able to thrive. Pennsylvania needs to compete and win in this world, but we certainly won’t unless our young people drive us forward. Our plan to make college more affordable will give young people a real and meaningful way to chase a dream and have the opportunity to develop their skills.”

The campaign also provided an outline of what McGinty’s plan would consist of:

• A lid on soaring college tuition costs.

• Restoration of financial aid that’s been cut under Governor Corbett.

• Establishment of a Middle-Income Opportunity Grant Program to provide financial grants of up to $5,000 to 35,000 middle-income families.

• Creation of a Pennsylvania Dream Scholarship Program to provide merit-based grants of up to $4,000 for 10,000 high-achieving students from low-income families.