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Meehan increasingly pressured to take a back seat

It started as the whispers of Republican concerns that a promising gubernatorial race could be derailed by a tough, intra-party fight.

But now, pressure on former U.S. Attorney and gubernatorial hopeful Pat Meehan is building, with at least three Republican officials directly asking him to run for Lieutenant Governor instead of Governor.

All three have made their requests in letters to Meehan. All have touted the political potential of a ticket that combines Meehan and state Attorney General Tom Corbett, a pairing that would surely be difficult for Democrats to beat.

“In light of the Republican Party’s recent performance in statewide races … we as a party need to come together and have a strong and unified ticket for Governor and Lt. Governor next year,” Allegheny County GOP chairman Jim Roddey, who hails from Corbett’s home base, wrote to Meehan last month.

“I strongly believe that the two of you would make a winning ticket — two tough prosecutors to clean up and reform state government,” Roddey added in the letter, first reported by PoliticsPA. “Based on Tom’s proven ability to win in a tough political environment, I am asking you to consider refocusing your efforts and running with him for Lt. Governor.”

As Republicans have grown increasingly convinced that the Governor’s Mansion is theirs to lose next year, party leaders have looked to Corbett as the likely front-runner, largely because of his strong performance last year, when he was the only Republican to win statewide. This has put Meehan’s campaign in something of a quandary, consistently forced to bat down rumors and speculation that he’ll eventually get out of the race.

“Pat Meehan is flatted by the encouragement from respected officials about exploring other opportunities, but he continues to focus on his exploratory run for Governor,” Meehan spokeswoman Virginia Davis said. “Nothing has changed.”

State Senator Kim Ward (R-Westmoreland) and Washington County Commissioner Diana Irey have chimed in more recently, both making their requests to Meehan earlier this month. Notably, all three officials are from western Pennsylvania, as opposed to Meehan’s southeastern Pennsylvania base.

In a letter to Meehan last week, first reported by GrassrootsPA, Ward sounded a similar note.

“The Republican Party, as well as taxpayers and businesses in Pennsylvania, would benefit enormously from a Tom Corbett and Pat Meehan ticket,” Ward wrote.

Though Meehan seems unlikely to accept a back-seat role to Corbett, he is said to be considering a run for Congress in Delaware County.

June 9, 2009 at 11:15 am

--Dan Hirschhorn

Tags: Lt. Gov., Pat Meehan, Tom Corbett

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