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Wagner wins majority of party votes, but no endorsement
LANCASTER—Auditor General Jack Wagner demonstrated the depth of his party support here Saturday, winning a majority of Democratic State Committee votes and more than twice the number of his chief gubernatorial rival, Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato. But Wagner failed to reach the two-thirds threshold needed for an endorsement, yielding an open primary in which the state party as a whole will not back a candidate in the five-way race.
Still, it was a striking show of support for Wagner, who, despite months of talk that Onorato was the front-runner, remains favored by a wide swath of party rank-and-file.
“To get more than a majority sends a strong message about our campaign,” Wagner said after the vote. “It’s diverse and it’s spread across Pennsylvania.”
The vote was forced to go to a second ballot when no candidate garnered a two-thirds vote in the first. State Senator Anthony Williams (D-Philadelphia) won overwhelming support from Philadelphia committee members, forcing Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Hoeffel out after the first round. In preliminary counts from the second round, Wagner won 153 votes, followed by Onorato with 76. Williams won 48, and there were 27 abstentions, many from Montgomery County members who support Hoeffel. After addressing regional caucuses in the morning, Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty didn’t even have his name entered into nomination.
After the vote, Onorato also sought to frame the result at good news for his campaign—and indeed, with no party-favored candidate, his financial and organizational advantage may only prove formidable.
“I’m really excited for the next few months, because we’re prepared to take this to the voters,” he said. After months in which he was called the insider candidate, Onorato could say, “I’m the outsider.”
Wagner, for his part, downplayed the importance of Onorato’s money edge.
“They’re talking about finances, I’m talking about financial reform of government,” he said. “That’s my message. I’m not about tax increases. I’m not about new taxes. I’m about holding the line on taxes and spending less of the people’s money. And that’s not often a message you hear from the Democratic candidate.”
There was drama at the outset, when Montgomery County party chairman Marcel Groen called for the state committee for forgo an endorsement in the governor’s race. Groen supports Hoeffel, who had called for a primary with no party endorsement.
“By going for an open primary … we send a powerful message to the people of this Commonwealth that, unlike our GOP counterparts, we do not choose our candidates in back rooms,” Groen said.
His entreaty was greeted mostly by boos. Southwest caucus chair Jack Hanna spoke out against the idea.
“Changing the rules right before we endorse a candidate is pulling the carpet out from someone’s legs,” he said. “Let us go forward. If we don’t endorse a cnaiddate today, then so be it.”
State party chairman T.J. Rooney signaled that he was willing to consider Groen’s motion and put it to a vote, but he was overruled by a voice vote of those in attendance. In the end, it was a moot point.
February 6, 2010 at 3:56 pm
Tags: Anythony Williams, Chris Doherty, Dan Onorato, Jack Wagner, Joe Hoeffel
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steelersfan
Feb 6th, 2010
Onorato is Ed’s boy. He is as insider as you can get and would have been in third place if not for the Ed arm twisting on behalf of his protege. The name of the game in politics is getting more votes than the other guy. Once again, as he did in the Pittsburgh City Council, as he did in the Senate race, as he did at State Committee, Jack Wagner has proven he can get more votes than Dan Onorato. Wagner rolled up the vast majority of counties and showed the geographic strength to compete in a bad cycle for Dems. The Committee members in the small towns and small cities know who can win and who is a certain loser. That is why they chose Jack.
terrie m
Feb 6th, 2010
Very exciting to see the way that the people who work for our party year in and year out came together for Jack Wagner. You can talk about your sixty seven county strategy but Jack Wagner is it and it was great to see him take no prisoners and campaign right in the face of the bullies. That is how a Democrat wins!
homer
Feb 6th, 2010
In what alternate universe does losing to Jack Wagner yet again make this good news for Onorato? He’s prepared to take it to the voters? Apparently not because he was spanked like a toddler by the voters at State Committee.
Plutarch
Feb 6th, 2010
So if today was a primary, Wagner would have won. Enough said.
That’s endorsement enough in my book.
delco mod
Feb 7th, 2010
Looks like Sen. Williams just got a “very big” seat at the table.
IntelligentVoter
Feb 7th, 2010
Don’t underestimate how angry people are with “career politicians” Thus, party endorsements may just very well be a kiss of death. This may very well be the best thing for Jack. No party endorsement but the support of many.
STEELBLITZ1
Feb 7th, 2010
Specter -Wagner is the best ticket. Its a pretty much no brainer from the statewide votes. The others are all regional candidates.
David Diano
Feb 8th, 2010
delco mod-
Not only did Williams get a seat at the table, but he “ate Hoeffel’s lunch”.
TruDem
Feb 8th, 2010
Isn’t it odd that Williams joins the “race” / endorsement out of nowhere along with 45 votes compliments of Congressman Brady in the Philly area????? sounds like a move to take votes away from Wagner.
Ed H.
Feb 8th, 2010
Someone offered Hoffel lunch?
wpadem
Feb 8th, 2010
Marcel Groen’s motion was to help not just favorite son Hoeffel, but also Onorato, well connected to Groen, and who knew he would get killed in an endorsement vote.
However, Groen screwed up by offering the motion in the wrong part of the meeting, which was pointed out in a point of order by Chuck Pascal. While Rooney ruled it was in order, his ruling was appealed, and the body ruled that Groen’s motion was out of order.
As you point out, Jack Hanna spoke against Groen’s motion. That was the interesting part of the day, because Hanna had told Groen that he would second Groen’s motion, and Hanna is an Onorato supporter. Hanna “pulled the rug out from under” both Groen and Onorato with that move.
Tico Taxpayer
Feb 10th, 2010
Maybe if Danny would have stopped in some of the counties he’s driven through on his way to pick up all those checks from Rendell’s buddies in Philly, he would have gotten a few more votes.
allstate
Feb 11th, 2010
If money=votes, the calculus didn’t prove correct in Lancaster. People=votes folks. If Dan was such the frontrunner this should’ve been a lock unless he’s the paper tiger some people been saying he is for months. Bottom line is you can’t cut deals with all 12 million Pennsylvanians or buy an election in this state. You have to not only win the primary but be able to roll out a 67 county strategy in the fall. This race is far from over and Pennsylvanians will see through the political games being played and reject the undemocratic tactics of the Rend-orato team. The people want change, they want reform and strangely enough that is what State Cmte voted for in Lancaster. If Dan is the frontrunner he needs to start running out in front.