Internal poll from Knox camp shows tight Guv primary

An internal poll commissioned by Democrat Tom Knox’s gubernatorial campaign shows the wealthy Philadelphia businessman in a dead-heat with Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato in next year’s primary.

The telephone survey of 800 Pennsylvania Democrats was conducted June 4-9 by Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin and Associates. Not surprisingly, more than half of Democratic voters polled were still undecided, with almost a year before primary day.

But in a head-to-head matchup with Onorato, considered by most party…

June 15, 2009 at 2:09 pm | Comments (16)

The weekend in jokes

Politicians love a good joke… especially if they’re the joke-teller.

Below is a small collection of the knee-slappers laid down during the Democratic State Committee gathering last weekend in Pittsburgh, along with the pa2010.com snap-verdict of their reception.

-Presenting Senator Arlen Specter with a blue “donkey-tie,” Gov. Ed Rendell says that Specter’s wife “Joan dresses Specter.” Received a 2 of 5 on the laughter scale.

-Accepting the tie, Specter explains he’ll put it on later…

June 8, 2009 at 9:46 am | Comments (0)

Wagner’s slow-crawl into the governor’s race continues

Auditor General Jack Wagner has made a point of noting that he

June 1, 2009 at 5:58 pm | Comments (0)

Wagner stays coy on gubernatorial run

PHILADELPHIA—His opponents say he’s definitely in. Party insiders call his candidacy a given. Sources even say that he’s already told several people he’s running.

And still, Auditor General Jack Wagner won’t publicly say he’s a candidate for governor.

As he glad-handed supporters outside the Philadelphia Democratic City Committee’s spring dinner here Monday night, pa2010.com took another stab at getting Wagner to commit. No dice.

“I have not made any public announcement,” Wagner said in stating…

May 11, 2009 at 8:37 pm | Comments (0)

TV Roundup: Casey’s softer stance, Sestak’s ‘leaning’ and Wagner’s being coy

Senator Bob Casey on Sunday continued his more modest support of Senator Arlen Specter in the coming primary, saying on CNN that the Democratic Party shouldn’t be dictating which candidates can and can’t run next year.

“That’s really up to that candidate, to run or not run,” Casey pAuditor General Jack Wagner, meanwhile, was being coy about his own intentions. Even as party…

May 11, 2009 at 9:04 am | Comments (1)

Wagner jockeying for Governor

Jack Wagner has made an art out of doing little as our Commonwealth’s Auditor General. Wagner has outsourced his job to newspapers to track down the fraud and waste that has run rampant during Gov. Ed Rendell’s two terms. Whether it has been PHEAA wasting tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars on junkets and conventions at plush resorts or the current bonus scandal that is unfolding in Harrisburg, Jack Wagner has turned the other cheek…

April 27, 2009 at 11:26 am | Comments (2)

Wagner leaning toward gubernatorial race

Auditor General Jack Wagner says he’s seriously considering a run for governor, and is much more interested in that job than in running for Senate. His comments, during a recent phone interview with pa2010.com, came four months after he said he was considering both races.

“I thought it through, and i decided the Senate race is not of interest to me,” he said, before quickly adding: “At this stage.”

Wagner would be formidable candidate in the Democratic primary, with a long record in elected office, relatively strong statewide name recognition and solid support from military veterans (he served in the Vietnam War).

April 20, 2009 at 12:51 pm | Comments (0)

The Wagner toss-up: Governor or Senate?

For months, Auditor General Jack Wagner’s name has been floating around political circles as a potential Democratic candidate for governor. Only thing is, his name’s been mentioned almost as often as a possible candidate for Senate.

So which one is it? Wagner fueled speculation in December when he told a reporter he was interested in both races. Whatever his eventual decision, it will have a profound impact on both races.

April 19, 2009 at 6:12 pm | Comments (0)