SUNBURY — With six months until the May 18 primary election, few people in Pennsylvania — and even fewer in the Valley — know who any of the five Democratic candidates for governor are.
That could be foreboding, as Democrats have never won more than two consecutive gubernatorial races in Pennsylvania. Incumbent Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell finishes his second term late next year.
Political party officials in the Valley haven’t met all of the candidates or know of their platforms.
Rick Thomas, chairman of the Union County Democratic Committee, has met only three of the candidates. His counterpart in Northumberland County, Paul Miglio, has met only one.
Both have met Jack Wagner, the state auditor general, from Beechview, Allegheny County.
Wagner is a strong nuts-and-bolts financial guy, Thomas said.
“These days,” Thomas said, “with all the budget problems we’ve had, that’s good experience to have.”
Said Miglio of Wagner: “He has been to Northumberland (County) a number of times. He’s a square guy.”
Wagner most recently stumped in Mount Carmel. None of the other four candidates have been to Northumberland County, Miglio said.
“Wagner also did very well in the last election,” Miglio said, “which is an advantage since none of the other candidates have run on a statewide ticket. And he’s from the Pittsburgh area, which gives him a base of support.”
Wagner captured 59 percent of Pennsylvania’s auditor general vote in the 2008 general election, compared with Republican Chet Beiler’s 37.8 percent. Beiler won in Snyder County (58.7 percent to 36.4 percent) and Union County (52.7 to 43.2). Wagner won in Northumberland County (47.5 to 46.4) and in Montour County (47.3 to 46.9).
Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty on Tuesday became the latest Democrat to announce his candidacy for governor.
“I’m not sure that the Scranton-Northeast base, which Doherty will claim, is enough to help you carry the state,” Miglio said. “We’ll see what happens during the campaign, when they come to this area and lay out their priorities. That’s what elections are all about. We’ll see how everything plays out.”
Also vying for the state’s top job are Democrats Tom Knox, of Philadelphia, a retired businessman; former U.S. Rep. Joe Hoeffel, of Montgomery County; and Dan Onorato, an Allegheny County executive.
Thomas, who has also met Hoeffel and Onorato, said he would not handicap the race at this early stage, but added: “I know that all of them have money to spend and the political know-how to make a go of it.”
To win in Pennsylvania, a candidate needs to start with a voter base in Philadelphia or Pittsburgh, Thomas said.
“Doherty from Scranton might have tough time,” Thomas said. “I don’t know much about him. And I’ve never met Knox. Frankly, I’m not yet sure how any of the candidates will play in this rural area.”
Onarato “has political machine experience, and that will help when he expands statewide,” Thomas said. “Hoeffel knows how to run a campaign. That’s a great advantage.”
Two Republicans are running for governor, with state Attorney General Tom Corbett facing U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach of Chester County.
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