Gerlach Ready to Debate, Let Voters Decide on Nominee

By GERLACH FOR GOVERNOR

(EXTON, PA) – Congressman Jim Gerlach, the only Republican candidate for Governor who has the experience and a proven record of cutting taxes, cutting spending, and fighting for policies that create jobs, on Monday welcomed Attorney General Tom Corbett into the race for governor in 2010 and invited Corbett to a series of televised debates all across Pennsylvania in the coming weeks.

“Poll after poll has shown that this race is wide open and that Republican voters are eager to hear from the candidates about who has the best ideas for creating jobs and delivering real results,” Gerlach said. “That’s why voters in every corner of our great Commonwealth deserve to see both candidates on the same stage as often as possible. We hope that Mr. Corbett accepts our invitation to a series of debates and lets the voters decide this race.”

A Franklin & Marshall College statewide poll released Sept. 3 showed that almost three out of four Republican voters were undecided about who should be the GOP nominee for governor in 2010. That same poll confirmed that voters are not convinced Corbett is the best choice as he could muster just 15 percent support among GOP voters.

In three previous statewide polls, Corbett failed to break the 40 percent mark.Previous polls have revealed Gerlach, a western Pennsylvania native with nearly 20 years of legislative experience representing southeastern Pennsylvania, has significant strengths.

Polling has shown:

By a 53-26% margin, voters prefer Jim Gerlach’s public service biography over Tom Corbett’s law and order biography, proving that as voters get to know Gerlach and his record throughout the campaign, they will be more attracted to his candidacy.
By a 73-16% margin, voters prefer a legislator who has dealt with a variety of issues, over a career prosecutor who has dealt only with law and order issues.
In the Philadelphia media market, the state’s largest and most expensive to penetrate, Gerlach is leading Corbett 25-20%. Gerlach represents just a small segment of that market in Congress.
Among voters who know Jim Gerlach, he leads Corbett 36-32%.
After voters were given more information on Gerlach’s legislative record and learned a bit more about him, voters chose Gerlach by a 33-point margin, 52-19%.
In a head-to-head general election match-up, Corbett is losing to Democrat Dan Onorato by 22 points in the southwestern part of the state, Corbett’s regional base of support.
Despite an expected Corbett lead on the head-to-head ballot test after running two statewide campaigns, he fails to break the 50% or even the 40% mark, proving Corbett is not as well-known or favorably viewed as his supporters contend.
Gerlach, who announced his candidacy for governor on July 14, has been traveling across the state for months meeting with voters and talking about why he is the best candidate for controlling the growth and spending of state government, keeping taxes low and bringing accountability to Harrisburg.

In late August, he traveled more than 2,000 miles during a 5-day swing through areas including Harrisburg, Scranton, Erie, Ellwood City, Butler, Altoona and Norristown.

Last week, Gerlach let voters know that he is serious about making bold changes during his first 60 days as governor and unveiled his “Pledge to Pennsylvania.” The entire pledge can be viewed online at www.gerlachforpa.com.

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