[...] PA2010: Doherty Gov run all-but-certain… [...]

That’s a really good team he’s assembled.

The people of PA are looking to elect a prosecuter for the governor’s mansion with all the corruption down there.

People want more indictments !!!

Honestly, the City of Scranton is in self-imposed receivership, people! I’m a partisan for my side but I want a contest. You want my steely-eyed prosecutor to run against a guy who cannot get his city out of bankruptcy? Come on, at least make it interesting.

Doherty is doing what Onorato did. He is using a non-contested local election to raise money for another race. Tom Knox has the real money and he is not beholden to anybody for it.

Doherty has had a contentious relationship with the labor unions since he took office. He has yet to be able to honestly and fairly sit and negotiate contracts with the Police and Fire unions. He and his administration have continually violated numerous contracts and continually ignore court awards. This truly is the “man” to follow Rendell if you want Pa. to continue down this same path.

What’s that about Tom Knox, Terri? How’s this going to play in Philly? http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20090917_Knox_campaign_fined_over__07_campaign_ad.html

I just don’t see Tom Knox being a factor. He’s been running longer than any of the other candidates yet gotten no traction.

This is going to be a three person race in the end between Doherty, Onorato, and Wagner, with Wagner having the initial advantage. However, it’s going to come down to SEPA, and Doherty will have edge as only pro-choice candidate. If Doherty can take the heat of statewide race–and he seems to have good consultants on board–there is no doubt he can win, at least the Dem nomination.

Doherty doesn’t seem the type of guy who gets into a fight he doesn’t believe he can win. His financial war chest must be getting pretty full, and these state delegates the article spoke about must be giving him positive feedback.I agree that Doherty could take a lot of SEPA votes from Knox, but Hoeffel getting in the race could squash that chance for him though.

A general question for anyine. Where was Doherty on the Obama-Clinton fight? Was he with the progressives or with the corporatists?

Not sure how he could do as a second tier candidate again Onorato or Wagner

Id simply point to 2 factors:

a. money

b. name recongition

Seems like everyone’s throwing their hat in which is splitting up the vote good for the entire state.

Let’s look at reality not spin.

We are likely going to have to beat a Republican (Corbett) who got a little under 3 million votes in a year when Obama got a little over 3 million votes. Corbett is a proven vote getter and a tough opponent. And, FYI, he trounced opponents from the East in the 2008 and in the 2004 elections.

We have one Democrat (Wagner)who has run statewide twice and won statewide twice. He most recently won with 3.3 million votes, more than any other D on the ticket and well ahead of Obama.

We have one Democrat(Hoeffel)who comes from the Phila. suburbs and has run and lost once statewide by a crushing margin but has come back to serve in county government in an effective fashion.

We have one Democrat (Doherty) who has been elected as mayor in an Act 47 city and is apparently anti-labor and a flip-flopper on abortion.

We have one Democrat (Onorato) who was elected in Allegheny County in order to put a tax on my beer, put a tax on my parking and put a tax on my food but will not adjust the property tax on the mansions of his rich contributors.

We have one Democrat (Knox) who ran a successful business and an unsuccessful campaign for mayor of Philadelphia.

I gotta like Wagner against Corbett.

The thing that worries me about Wagner is the fact he’s never held an executive position. He’s never had to actually delegate to ensure success. He has a great story to tell no doubt being a veteran, and he’s a likeable guy from Pittsburgh which gets him votes. I don’t know if he’s capable of running our state, and bringing us out of the hole we seem to have dug ourselves into. Part of the man’s job description is to ensure fiscal responsibility for our state…not so sure he’s been doing that.

Christopher, the Auditor General is an executive position. The office has like 500 or 600 auditors who are all over the state. I suggest you read his audit reports .. particularly the special performance audits .. as they not only identify problems but lay out management solutions. All told, his office does about 5000 audits of every type every year. There is probably no person in the state who has a better handle on state and federal spending.

steelers… should we just call you “Jack”

I really like Wagner. Much more than Onorato. My hesitancy to back him is based on:

-socially conservative (time to move on from pro-life Democrats, no offense to Bob Casey)
-lack of campaign apparatus (doesn’t his sister in law still run his campaigns? everyone else has big-time teams in place. come on, man, the election is in eight months.)
-his name recognition is good but it’s not great…especially considering he’s run 3X for statewide office. Moreover, the advantage of coming from a vote-rich region of the state dwindles when you have two candidates running from that region (Dan the tax man, obviously).

Marge, what I think we need in government is a person who is honest, hard working and willing to act on tough problems in an intelligent and open handed way. I know Jack Wagner and I am for him because he meets those criteria. Go and see his interview with KDKA’s Delano up on their site. Do you think he needs a team of consultants to tell him what to say and do? This man knows why he wants to be Governor and what he wants to achieve for the schlubs like me who are not in the upper income echelon and just want a decent government that works better.

Steelersfan or maybe I’ll call you Wagnersfan, I do like a person who knows his own mind and doesn’t need ‘professionals’ to tell him or her what to think. The problems we face cannot be overcome by someone enveloped by consultants and pollsters and political advisors. Reality is too important to too many people on the edge. These spinners and bs experts arfe detriments to progress for all of us. I’m willing to look at Wagner or Knox or anyone who supported change in Pennsylvania when it counted.

Also, anyone, where was Doherty on Obama versus Clinton?

obamarox:

Doherty was all in for the gentlelady from New York.

She won NEPA by like 50% (not an exaggeration) in the primary, and the whole she-bang by double digits.

I’m not saying Wagner’s a shitty guy b/c he doesn’t have consultants! I’m saying that approach makes him a less serious candidate! I live in the real world, brothers, and Corbett (or even Gerlach) will be tough to beat!

Marge, I just disagree that spending a lot of money on ‘consultants’ equates to seriousness. I look at Washington and see a disaster in the making on health care because consultants and experts (read lobbysits) are too involved. The problems are serious and the solutions are obvious. If you are in government, step up and make a call and then explain it to people. It really is not that difficult. Of course, the consultants want you to pay them huge sums of money and proclaim how essential they are. They are not.

Will someone list the candidates in order from most conservative to most progressive? I think a lot of PA Dems still have a 2000 outlook where, as this telling goes, we can’t nominate someone too progressive or someone from the Southeast because the rest of the state is too conservative. That logic didn’t hold in the last two elections. We don’t have to settle for a conservadem. I’m not saying we can get away with nominating a Dennis Kucinich, but we also don’t have to timidly line up behind Onorato either. Right now I’m leaning toward Wagner, Hoeffel, and I’m giving Onorato an honest look too. I don’t know anything about Doherty. What happened with the unions?

In reference to the police/fire union issues in Scranton, things have been incredibly contentious. However, the city won a big decision in state court earlier this year. It all has to do with whether an arbitrator can rule in favor of a union and give it an award that it is direct conflict with provisions in the Act 47 distressed city law.

Doherty was completely behind Hillary Clinton in the 2008 primary. Lackawanna County’s democratic committee people were completely behind Obama. Clinton took Lackawanna County 65% – 35%.

Folks,
A few things you need to know about Doherty, straight from a Scrantonian who has lived through his nightmare.
When Doherty took office, we had 35 million of long term debt and an operating budget surplus of of 2.2 million.
Today, our long term debt is approaching 300 million and our operating budget surplus has dwindled to a 6 million deficit.

When he took office we had 175 police officers and 150 firemen and a budget of 52 million.
Today we have 150 police officers and 140 firemen and our budget has grown to 80+ million. We have tons of new crony hires in city hall, all non-union, in the parking authority and the sewer authority.
Our taxes have been raised just over 26%. Our sewer rates have jumped over 100% during his terms. Our parking rates have doubled also.
It was all to pay for his spending habits and patronage job creations.
He dumped over 300 million of local state ands federal money into the downtown and now we have many newly remodled buildings that are completely empty. Our long time businesses are leaving at a rate of 15 to 20 per year. Pay to play politics has reached a new height. If you donate to Doherty’s campaigns, he will reward you with contracts. (many without the bidding procedure.
Our police officers and firemen have been without a contract OR RAISE in over 8 years. Our police by their own cruisers (I kid you not) and lease them back to the city so they are ensured a safe vehicle to patrol with. Doherty spend over 1.2 million in his first reelection campaign and over 360 thousand in May’s primary race. This city has 65,000 people and the job pays $55000. Sound a little much for a mayoral race? I could go on and on. He will destroy what’s left of this state, as he’s done with our fair city.

Margaret,

If it’s so bad in Scranton, how come Doherty won the Democratic AND Republican (as a write-in) primary in May? If it’s as bad as you say, how come he’s about to get elected to his third term?

I’m a carpenter and ex-convict from Scranton. Chris Doherty is my mayor. I give him a hard time every now and then, but he’s been very effective. He also treats me fairly despite my criminal history. God bless him.

Whus dis Doherty doin runnin 4 govner? I’m gonna get my friend Max to call da fedral attorney genral.

PAguy,

He won by under 1000 votes after spending $360,000 in a primary. Does that sound a little much for a mayoral race in a small city? A read an article in the Patriot News in Harrisburg about how appauled everyone was that two councilpersons spent less than $100,000 to run for mayor. Doherty spent over 1.2 million to win his second term. Those numbers are hard to overcome and that’s why he was re-elected twice. He shook down every vendor the city uses to raise that kind of money. If you think Rendell is a free spender, you haven’t seen anything yet.

This last post is the essence of our problems as a country: people in the middle class and the working class are being sold out by Ds and Rs. The corporatist Ds like Clinton, Rahm. Onorato, Rendell and Doherty will bow to their masters and be well rewarded. Those are the pols we need to keep out of office and maybe we can get the Wall Street crowd reined in.

Doherty won’t get into the state house. Scranton Voters are mentally challenged..not the whole state. Doherty may have his cronies backing him up…but believe me..Jack wagner will show him the door with ease. Unfortunately, We the scranton residents will have to endure 4 more years of political promises and financial pain.