State House Speaker Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) is reportedly entering the race for Governor next year, according to the Associated Press.
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pennsylvania's Republican House Speaker Mike Turzai tells AP he's running for governor.
— Marc Levy (@timelywriter) November 14, 2017
Update: Turzai released a video kicking off his campaign, talking mainly about his work to prevent tax increases, and liquor privatization.
“As Speaker of the Pennsylvania House, we’ve been the last line of defense against every imaginable scheme to take away your hard earned dollars and freedom. We’ve stopped billions in taxes on working families. We blocked massive new taxes on jobs—all across the Commonwealth—and at the very moment when we were about to unleash real energy independence. Against blistering, million dollar attacks, we dug in, fought back, and protected those jobs,” Turzai said in the video.
You can watch the video below.
Turzai will be the fourth Republican entering the race for Governor, and the third from Allegheny county.
Turzai had been playing a “will he, won’t he” game about a possible run for months leading up to today’s announcement.
Update: The Pennsylvania Democratic Party went on the offensive against Turzai, accusing him of prolonging the budget stalemate for political gain.
“Now it’s apparent that political insider Mike Turzai paralyzed state government and caused a credit downgrade so he could advance his own political ambitions and protect his donors in the oil and gas industry,” Pa. Dems Communications Director Beth Melena said.
Pittsburgh business people Laura Ellsworth and Paul Mango, and state Senator Scott Wagner (R-York) are also running for Governor.
34 Responses
I really think this Laura Ellsworth is a dark horse if she can raise some money. As a woman, she not only differentiates herself from the three men, but she becomes the default SE candidate because those people will think she is a moderate.
Mike and the 2nd street incident is well hidden thanks too his drinking buddy in the AG’s office. It will blow up but they will blame somebody else!
I’d rather vote for an actual dog turd wearing a straw hat than Turzai.
Only a matter of time before Mike’s years drunken antics on 2nd St. get exposed. Time’s a ticking!
Definition of a swamp creature #MAGA
This guy makes Trump look rational. Talk about irrational, emotional and self entered behavior.
I forgot to mention another major flaw——-his word is worthless. He makes Rendell look saintly.
Run him….Does this mean he resigns as Speaker???
I would welcome to his participation, the Republican party is SOOO
out of touch with the voters it will be a mandate on his stupidity!
My town just went Democrat for the first time ever, voters are pissed at many things including the budget “stuff”. School taxes are breaking every property owner, now radar for revenue….legislature does nothing!
Please RUN!!!!!!!!
If the voters of PA are stupid enough to re-elect Tom Wolf (Democrat) and possibly give him, potentially a Democratic Legislature, or at least one chamber of the State Legislature to the Democrats, Tom Wolf will be for PA what Jim Florio, Jim McGreavy, and, Jon Corzine, all Democrats, were for New Jersey.
As an Ex-NJ native,now PA resident, I hope this State DOESN’T go that way.
As bad as it is in PA right now, if PA Voters swing hard Democrat, then they can piss-off, and enjoy becoming a 1-party Democrat Dictatorship, HIGH-TAXED State like NJ.
Better run back to Jersey. The waiter is bringing the check.
After NJ just went full brain-dead with a Florio-McGreavy-Corzine clone like Phil Murphy,…..I think I’ll stay put!
The R’s need a new face, none of the candidates running can relate to regular working people. Someone new has to emerge. Otherwise we will once again have a Gov who won’t enforce the death penalty and who will put illegal aliens above the rights of PA citizens.
Mango is the guy. Former Army Ranger, business experience, has a plan to clean-up Harrisburg and systemically stop it’s prolific tax and spend habits.
Turzai is all for himself. The real story on this guy for was when everyone knew Rotten Johnny Perzel was finally getting pinched, and several principled Republicans finally said ENOUGH and voted him out as Speaker…. but not Crooked Mike! No, he stood by his crooked wing man Perzel, who eventually did go to jail.
A corrupt state rep, failed congressional candidate, wannabe governor and aspiring state senator walk into a bar. The bartender says, “Who the hell cloned Mike Turzai?”
LOL!!!!!!!
hahahahaa
Tell us another one.
Mike Turzai is the man. He has also voted in most of the elections that other Republicans seemed to ignore.
#allvotesmatter #trashmanisgarbage
Including several Speaker elections where he kept voting for corrupt jailed felon John Perzel
Barf.
Omg I thought this guy had finally understood that he had no shot to win at Governor. What an idiot. Look Tom Wolf has been horrible. He absolutely has to go. He plays politics too much and isn’t the strong voice we need in PA. BUT MIKE TURZAI IS NOTTTTTT THE GUY. With that said, the Republicans are serving up a big pile of stink. Wagner will win bc of the money, but Wolf will bury him in a General. Mango is too soft spoken. And this guy is the definition of the swamp.
Attempts to marginalize Speaker Turzai, with nasty comments reveals more about the character of the writer than the man they write about. One thing voters will understand, is that when it counted, the Speaker was the one who stood between them and higher taxes.
Mr. Howard are you on crack? Or maybe you need a lesson on finances. Turdseye caved to Corbett and pushed the massive gas tax through the House. The coward twisted arms of others to vote for it, then he opposed it himself. He voted for numerous massive budgets that forced higher taxes on Pennsylvanians.
Exactly! He helped Corbett & Co. “hold the line” on taxes by forcing school districts to raise property taxes instead. And when property taxes go up, they almost never come back down. It was a bunch of smoke-and-mirrors budget gimmicks instead of actually making the hard choices.
Winner winner, chicken dinner
How is borrowing and spending and then paying the interest out of tax dollars better than taxing natural gas??
Lisping across the finish line as he brings up the republican rear.. and liking it. I said liking.
Looking at his photo beneath the headline I see his tie matches his complexion, so at least there’s that.
Here is the list of accomplishents for the House Republicans with Turzai leading them:
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Oh that is so unfair! Turzai has many accomplishments. For instance, he killed school choice. He got the gas tax increase through. He passed a budget bill with no revenue package, in violation of the constitution. He voted for corrupt John Perzel for Speaker. Many things has he gotten done.
Odd that he isn’t running on blowing up bipartisan budget negotiations. Figured that would be a big part of his messaging. Who’da thunk?
Is it just me? Cause I’m creeped out by watching and listening to him on his video.
I know right! His voice sounds like what I imagine Roy Moore’s voice sounds like.