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PA-Sen: Wolf Endorses McGinty

McGinty WolfIt definitely wasn’t surprising but it could prove important.

Governor Tom Wolf endorsed Katie McGinty’s Senate campaign. McGinty, of course, was Wolf’s Chief of Staff and headed up his Fresh Start operation during last year’s general election.

“I’m endorsing Katie McGinty to be our next U.S. Senator because I know she’ll be an incredible advocate for Pennsylvanians all across our commonwealth,” Governor Wolf said. “Katie was one of my opponents during the primary, and I asked her to join my administration because she demonstrated that she’s in politics for the right reasons. She is a ‘can do’ person who doesn’t just talk about it, but one who works to get things done. I know she’s the Senator we need in Washington, D.C. because she shares the values of hard working Pennsylvanians and will be able to deliver for them.”

“With Katie playing a vital role, we sent a budget to the Legislature that makes a historic investment in education and cuts property taxes for middle class families and seniors. Katie also led the charge for me in ensuring my Administration worked with Washington to save the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Katie also drove forward and made sure we were on track to expand Medicaid to 600,000 Pennsylvanians,” Wolf continued.

“Governor Wolf’s support means a great deal to me,” McGinty responded. “The governor is fighting to give the middle class a boost in Pennsylvania and to get our economy growing again. Education and property tax cuts are critical, and in pushing these priorities, the Governor is on track to turn Pennsylvania around, I hope to be a partner in Washington working to help him turn things around.”

Wolf also sent out a fundraising appeal for McGinty using his campaign email list.

McGinty is battling former Congressman Joe Sestak and Braddock Mayor John Fetterman for the Democratic nomination. Incumbent GOP Senator Pat Toomey is running for re-election.

UPDATE: Sestak’s campaign responded with the following comment:

“My hometown newspaper said it well: ‘Sestak is starring in … ‘Joe Vs. the Machine.’ I continue to believe that serving the people is what public service should be all about, not about being part of a political machine.”

20 Responses

  1. By the way, Paul Costa has switched his endorsement to Fetterman and was at his launch. First of many? Take him off your list.

  2. FYI a lot of those endorsements are in name only now that Fetterman is in. Several of those people have said privately that they regret jumping in early and wouldn’t have done so if they knew Fetterman was going to get in.

    Most of those people on your list don’t do much anyway– the ones who do are now doing nothing to truly help McGinty and are saying nice things about Fetterman. But by all means, keep trotting out the list.

  3. Ben Smith-

    Given Wolf’s money and HUGE showing in the primary (58%), it’s getting ridiculous to go after McGinty’s percentage of the remaining vote in a four way race. The better funded McCord and Schwartz didn’t crack 18%.

    That race was decided before ballot petitions were signed.

    And, let’s face it, if Sestak was the 4th candidate instead of McGinty, he would have been dead last as well.

    The reason no one wanted to run was because they weren’t up for a bloody primary fight against Sestak, who would set the party on fire and burn it down in a spiteful temper tantrum.

    Sestak’s inept campaign launch, meandering 422 walk into oblivion, lackluster fundraising, incoherent ramblings, and lack of a professional campaign staff REQUIRED the party to seek a viable alternative that the adults could get behind.

    McGinty is good in debates (Sestak is a babbling disaster). McGinty can fundraise (we’ll see in a few days after the quarter ends). McGinty will have access to party infrastructure (Sestak refuses to cooperate with party and other candidates on ticket). Given Planned Parenthood, women’s issues, and Hillary the likely nominee, then McGinty is a better choice than Sestak to fight Toomey.

    So, the choice is not a shock. The main goal is to replace Toomey and give the Dems a shot at a Dem majority and control of the agenda. No one cares that neither Toomey, McGinty nor Sestak is sincere or authentic. When all the choices share the same defect, it’s no longer an issue.

    Enter Fetterman: he’s authentic. And, this year, the voters seem to want that for a change.

    To say he’s “different” and “atypical” is an understatement. But, he’s got a good story/background and genuinely worked hard in a poor/suffering community.

    The questions remain if he can raise money, resonate with enough voters, and be more than a novelty for the media. Time will tell.

    He’s off to a good start with a top campaign manager (guy who ran DeBlasio in NYC), so it’s a real campaign.

    People aren’t going to start paying attention until Jan/Feb and the candidates typically avoid spending and staffing until after New Years so they can post a big cash on hand number.

    It’s still early.

  4. Has everyone forgotten that Katie McGinty is only in this primary because at least 5 people the state Dems tried to recruit to run against Sestak turned the offer down? This is the same Katie McGinty who was already rejected by 93% of Democratic PA voters in the Gov primary, right?

    If McGinty was so into helping the middle class like she claims, why did she become a partner in Ed Rendell’s venture capital firm for the fracking industry instead of taking a public service position? Why did she quit her Chief of Staff job after 6 months right in the middle of the budget impasse?

    One could certainly make a case for Sestak or Fetterman, but McGinty? Seriously? Party politics at its worst.

  5. Thanks David. I should have known better than to have considered the possibility that you were learning the art of civilized discourse. Please forgive me for giving you the benefit of the doubt. I promise I won’t do it again. I guess you threw me off by not equating disagreement with you with masterbation.

  6. Jerry Policoff-

    I guess my post was too subtle in ridiculing you and your post that you failed to get it. Allow me to clarify:

    1) No one with an IQ more than 1 digit would be the slightest bit surprised that Wolf endorsed McGinty. (See my first post about Rick’s Cafe.)

    2) Your “hoping Wolf would resist” proves you are not the slightest bit credible or intelligent (see #1 about digits in IQ)

    3) Regarding Bernie, I insulted you by saying that I expect you to throw away your vote and you “resorted” by enthusiastically agreeing with my point.

    4) PLEASE change your registration to Independent or Green so you stop embarrassing Democrats by polluting the pool.

    FYI-

    Spot on.

  7. I still think a lot of Wolf even if my opinion of him is diminished. I am disgusted with the corrupt Democratic machine (which Wolf clearly distanced himself from when he ran for Governor), so I was hopeful he would refrain from endorsing anyone before the Primary. Incidentally, I don’t believe the Democratic State Committee or county Democratic Committees should make endorsements before the primaries either. I am still one of those rare, misguided Democrats who believes the primaries are designed for the voters, not the machine.
    I had a long meeting with Wolf regarding health care during the campaign (and an earlier shorter one during the Lancaster County nominating convention). I was impressed with him and voted for him even though we did not see eye to eye on single-payer health care (and neither do I see eye to eye with Sestak on that very important issue).
    I do hope I have succeeded in responding more civilly and more honestly than FYI did. At least I don’t hide behind an anonymous alias.

  8. If Bernie is not on the ballot I will indeed write him in, but one cannot objectively look at these polls where Hillary has dropped from the 70’s to the low 40’s (and still sinking) in five months and Sanders has gone from single digits to high 20’s and to mid-30’s (and still rising) and truly believe that Sanders does not have an excellent chance of catching and passing her. Remember, some 30% of those polled still don’t really know who Sanders is or what he stands for, and every time that “don’t know” number falls the percentage of those polled who say they will vote for him rises.
    So yes, David, I will vote for Sanders even if I have to write him, but I suspect the only way Clinton can win next year, assuming she is on the ballot, is if the Republican nominee is Trump. Biden may make an early run if he announces, but it won’t take long for him to tank if past history is any clue. That may be why he is delaying an announcement, and he got an assist from CNN today with their decision to allow him to participate in the debates even if he waits until that morning to announce. The corporate media really fears Bernie Sanders, and they aren’t all that fond of Hillary. They know how to read the polls, and they know she is in deep trouble.
    Congratulations David for getting through a complete post without being obnoxious or using disgusting allusions. Perhaps someone told you how difficult it is to take you seriously when you post in the style we have become accustomed to seeing from you. I hope this is the beginning of something, but frankly I doubt it.

  9. So apparently Jerry Policoff has a “diminished view” of anyone who disagrees with Jerry Policoff.

    That’s Interesting (in a narcissistic kind of way.)

    You can read multiple posts by Jerry proclaiming his admiration and support of Tom Wolf. Now, all of the sudden, Jerry has a “diminished view” of Tom Wolf, simply bc Governor Wolf, like most PA Democrats, believe Katie McGinty is the best Democrat to take on Pat Toomey and defeat the Republican majority.

    Get a grip Policoff. You’re making a fool of yourself (again.)

  10. Jerry Policoff-

    “voting with the corrupt democratic machine”?

    She was his pick for Dem State committee chair and his Chief of Staff. How could he POSSIBLY do anything other than endorse her?

    Any other action would be tantamount to claiming she wasn’t qualified for either job he had already chosen her for. So, he had no other choice to endorse her.

    Sanders will probably be eliminated on Super Tuesday in early March (barring some cataclysmic event against Hillary), so your vote for Bernie will either be a write-in or he’ll be on the ballot because he didn’t withdraw in time to be struck.

  11. I was hoping Wolf would resist playing along with the corrupt Democratic machine. My opinion of him is diminished by this endorsement, and of course I will still vote for Sestak (and Bernie Sanders).

  12. McG is in over her head. I suppose her next run for an office will logically be (in her mind) for President of the U.S. Maybe she can run for Mayor of Braddock, a better starting place for her inexperience and track record.

  13. Katie McGinty continues to gain support from every part of our state. Her campaign has the momentum. She’s definitely winning the fundraising and endorsement primary.

    I look forward to casting my vote for her!

    Here a just a few people that Katie McGinty has been endorsed by so far:

    Governors:
    -Tom Wolf, 47th and current Governor of Pennsylvania
    -Ed Rendell, 45th Governor of Pennsylvania

    U.S. Representatives:
    -Bob Brady, U.S. Representative and Chairman of the Philadelphia Democratic City Committee
    -Michael F. Doyle, U.S. Representative

    State legislators:
    -Jim Brewster, State Senator
    -Dom Costa, State Representative
    -Jay Costa, State Senator and Democratic Leader of the Pennsylvania Senate
    -Paul Costa, State Representative
    -Dan Deasy, State Representative
    -Anthony M. DeLuca, State Representative
    -Frank Dermody, State Representative and Democratic Leader of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
    -Wayne D. Fontana, State Senator
    -Dan Frankel, State Representative
    -Ed Gainey, State Representative
    -Mark Gergely, State Representative
    -Bill Kortz, State Representative
    -Joe Markosek, State Representative
    -Brian Sims, State Representative

    Mayors and other municipal leaders:
    -John DeFazio, Allegheny County Councilman
    -Mike Finnerty, Allegheny County Councilman
    -Rich Fitzgerald, Allegheny County Executive
    -Nick Futules, Allegheny County Councilman
    -Dan Gilman, Pittsburgh City Councilman
    -Theresa Kail-Smith, Pittsburgh City Councilwoman
    -Bruce Kraus, Pittsburgh City Council President
    -Daniel Lavelle, Pittsburgh City Councilman
    -Bob Macey, Allegheny County Councilman
    -Chuck Martoni, Allegheny County Councilman
    -Corey O’Connor, Pittsburgh City Councilman
    -John F. Palmiere, Allegheny County Councilman
    -Bill Peduto, Mayor of Pittsburgh
    -Natalia Rudiak, Pittsburgh City Councilwoman

    Party leaders:
    -Austin Davis, Allegheny County Democratic Committee Vice Chairman
    -Nancy Mills, Allegheny County Democratic Committee Chairwoman

    Labor unions:
    -Sheet Metal Workers Local 19
    -United Steelworkers

    Organizations:
    -EMILY’s List

  14. I agree with Admiral Sestak. That’s why I am voting for Joe! As I have opined before, McG is in over her head–once again.

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