33 Responses

1. I would argue that McCord benefits slightly more than Wolf from Wagner dropping out. If nothing else, there now is a bigger pool of undecideds that McCord can tap into to help close the gap between him and Wolf. Not exactly a game changer, though.

   The candidate affected most from Wagner dropping out is Schwartz. She is the big loser in this. Wagner supporters in Southwestern PA and elsewhere are more likely to vote for Wolf, McCord and even McGinty before the (perceived at least) liberal Congresswoman from Philly who hasn’t been on the air in SWPA yet. Wagner sucking votes from her competition was a vital component of Schwartz’s path to victory.

   I don’t know about the rest of the state, but McGinty has actually been on TV a lot in SWPA recently – just as much so, if not more, than Wolf has.

2. DemPA-

   (Note: I’m just B.S. ing here to create a scenario, but I’m not claiming to actually believe it)

   They can have it both ways:
   1) Wagner coming in hurt McCord
   2) By the time Wagner left, McCord was so damaged that Wagner supporters that left McCord wouldn’t go back to McCord but would to go Wolf instead.

   That’s how the roll in “Spin Alley”.

   Basically, the spin rule is: everything that happens is good for your candidate or hurts the other candidates.

3. So while Wagner was in the race Wolf people were gloating that it hurts McCord.

   Now that Wagner drops out they’re gloating that Wolf benefits.

   Can’t have it both ways folks.

4. Jeff White-
   They haven’t passed the pot legalization in PA yet, so, slow down.

   There isn’t the slightest hint or whisper of Wolf’s business being anything other than completely up-and-up and the workers treated/paid well. Any statement or implications to the contrary are without merit.

   McCord a bully? Since when? Schwartz’s campaign tried bullying everyone out of the primary last summer. I know Rob, and he’s a very down-to-earth sort of guy. We’ve engaged in honest/heated debate on an issue or two, but he’s never acted like he and I were anything but equals, despite his position.

5. being someone who believes in Jack Wagner I am heartbroken at his withdrawal. Pa will suffer grreatly with the fall Corbett win. Jack had people surrounding him who could have pulled this off but alas it is his candidacy not theirs. Let’slook at the other candidates, Mr Wolf, who makes your cabinets, where are they made, with what kind of labor, do they pay legitimate taxes? Full disclosure should be demanded by the voters. When you say you cam compete and beat China I say Show me don’t snow me,they use slave labor in China, are you using underpaid and abused Amish labor and if so we need to shut their illegal sweat shops down!
   Mr. McCord you need to remember your roots and stop being a bully. If you win I hope you are humbled and remember where you came from.
   Ms Schwartz, I think you are one of the greatest congresswomen Pa has ever had. But I justs don’t know about governor.
   Ms McGinty, you seem too nice to be in politics.
   So, it looks like reelect Tom Corbett is the agenda. Sorry

6. Sklaroff-
   I assume she’s been wasting those $$$ on “cheerleaders” and bad advice.

7. The PHEAA audit was impactful. The pension fund audits, the turnpike audit and the revelation about the spiking debt load, the Delaware river port authority expose, the interest rate swap audits, the charter school audit, the no bid contracts for technology that never end, the adult basic sell-out by Mr Rendell and Mr. Corbett… really, Mr wagner had a focus on the insiders profiting from the taxpayers. And most of his exposes and solutions have been ignored by the Harrisburg political class.

8. This helps Wolf the most, marginally helps McCord. Wagner would have probably won the Lt Gov primary but probably didn’t want that mostly irrelevant position. Wagner should becommended for his audit of PHEAA and how it needs to be de-poiticized.

9. The sun penetrates into privies but is not polluted by them. That is true about Jack Wagner and his public service.
   There goes an honest man who understood the corruption afoot in the sewer of Harrisburg and spoke boldly about it, proposed ways to rein it in, and bucked the political consulting class that has rendered government a trough for the well connected.
   He has the right set of priorities to fix the system and so that Sun is set.

10. @Rob_McEgo

    That is quite the false comparison. You should have mentioned, that McCord and Corbett both come from PA. They both are mammals. Both CLEARLY have backbones. Both have been seen speaking English. Both enjoy breathing.
    Yep totally the same…

11. I am disappointed in this news because I strongly believe that Jack Wagner would have been the best possible governor for the Commonwealth. Jack has been a relentless voice for good government during his career and I thank him for his service.

12. A query from an R:

    If PoliticsPA is any gauge of what’s happening statewide, politically, what has Allyson been doing with all her $$$?

13. Great, more votes out west for Wolf now.
    By the way, Wolf was also the Revenue Secretary in the past. Took his business to top twice. He cares for his employees. He has done a lot of York County.

14. frank-
    In the general, the Dem primary winner will have the support of every union that supported any of the Dem candidates.

    Schwartz is going nowhere. Wagner pulled votes from areas where McCord and Wolf would beat Schwartz.

    McCocky-
    You don’t think that the Treasurer is an executive position? You don’t think that McCord’s business experience is executive?

    You keep forgetting the key differences between Corbett and McCord:
    1) Corbett is utterly incompetent
    2) Corbett is on the wrong side of nearly every issue

    Rob’s about as un-Corbett as you can get.

15. Answer: A twice elected state row officer with ZERO legislative and executive experience, who is arrogant and has an ego problem.
    Who is Tom Corbett? wait, no, no… Rob McCord?… Both?
    It’s time for a revolution in Pennsylvania government. Let’s elect someone who doesn’t have the resume of Tom McCord, I mean, Rob Corbett, I mean… Ugh. Well you know.

16. Wagner had no cash. I thought he was a stalking horse for Schwartz to draw off votes from McCord and Wolf, with a cozy cabinet seat for old Jack at the end of the rainbow. But I guess that wasn’t it and Jack just needed to see his name in the paper one last time. Please tell me it’s the last time.

    I’m for McCord. Great personal energy and intelligence and I think he could meaningfully innovate state government and work effectively across the aisle.

17. no secret im a schwartz supporter.if i wasnt rob mccord would be my next choice his knowledge of state bussiness is very good he has great union support across the state and connects to middle class alot better than tom wolf.

18. Frank-
    Wolf pays/treats his workers well. Better than most workers get in any union shop.

19. Rob_McCocky-

    Tom Corbett’s problems are that he’s an idiot and he rarely misses an opportunity to sell out Pennsylvania to special interests like the gas industry.

20. So making cabinets in a non union shop qualifies you to become governor anybody who is associated with fast eddy rendell is not to be trusted.

21. Sounds like there are some bitter old Democratic establishment folks who are working for Rob McCocky.
    Here are the facts:
    Rob McCord: Twice Elected State Row Officer, No Executive Experience, No Legislative Experience, Arrogant, Ego Problem
    Tom Corbett: Twice Elected State Row Officer, No Executive Experience, No Legislative Experience, Arrogant, Ego Problem
    Why would a voter replace one bad thing for another?
    Oh and by the way, someone got their facts wrong earlier. McCord doesn’t have the strongest poll number against Corbett. In fact he’s never broken the 50% threshold against Corbett in a direct matchup, but another Dem has.

22. Only Bob Casey received more total votes than Wagner as statewide Democratic candidates in a general election. The people loved his independence but the money guys did not trust him to do their bidding. That’s the story. Too honest. Too independent. You can’t let guys like that become governor. Think of the innocent cronies who could get hurt. Think of all the lucrative dealings he exposed while auditor general. It is best to turn off the spigot and not give him a chance.

23. Also, I am putting Katie McGinty on deathwatch she will be next.

24. C.mon guys! Wolf built his business twice. No experience wtf????? Wolf industries is the NATION’S LEADER IN CABINET DISTRIBUTION. You people act like that can be done overnight by anyone.

    McCord is the guy who had the same job as Mitt Romeny!

25. Observation-

    The only poll that matters is the one on Election Day. However, wolf is at 40 and McCord around 9??? I wouldn’t be talking too much smack yet ESP. while in single digits.

26. @truth agreed. Sounds like a wolf staffer. No candidate has more solid statewide support and has a better chance at beating Corbett than Rob McCord.

27. @rob sounds like you might be a part of the wolf pack.only experience wolf has is under ed rendell raising taxes as revenue secretary.stick around you might just change your mind on your pick.

28. Rob McCord is arrogant and cocky. He has NO proven leadership experience. He has the same experience Tom Corbett did when he was elected Governor. A twice elected state row officer with ZERO executive or legislative experience. McCord is Corbett 2.0

29. this is great news for rob mccord south western pa is his second home and judging by all the tv ads so far he is head and shoulders above the rest.

30. I highly doubt that..

31. SAY HELLO TO GOV. TOM WOLF

32. I have a great deal of respect for Auditor General Wagner, and it would have killed me not to vote for him as I would have in May. Thank you, Jack, for your service to the Commonwealth and the Democratic Party.

33. WHAT IS THIS