Knox has solid plans to improve the Pennsylvania budget

It’s not surprising that Tom Knox, the wealthy Philadelphia businessman and Democratic candidate for governor, has stated his concrete ideas to improve Pennsylvania’s budget.

In The Reading Eagle, reporter Mary E. Young covers Knox’s plans for the state’s beleaguered finances. The article has been

August 20, 2009 at 2:26 pm | Comments (7)

EXCLUSIVE: Hoeffel will poll the gubernatorial race

In the strongest indication yet that he is

August 20, 2009 at 1:27 pm | Comments (13)

For Wagner, the challenge could be in the raw politics

Jack Wagner has been winning elections for years, from his time as a Pittsburgh City Councilman and state Senator in the 1990s to his record-setting vote totals in last year’s reelection as state Auditor General. But throughout all his time in politics, Wagner has never had a reputation a heavy-hitting campaign fundraiser and organizer. And as he nears a bid for the Governor’s Mansion, political insiders increasingly wonder if Wagner will be able build the…

August 11, 2009 at 10:55 am | Comments (9)

THURSDAY MORNING NUGGETS: Knox wins a straw poll, Colbert calls Sestak a lock and more

Sometimes, the news comes in little drops.

Like when Tom Knox won a small straw poll of gubernatorial candidates at the Columbia County Democratic Committee picnic last weekend. The Knox campaign tells me he won 32 percent of the vote, edging Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty’s 26 percent. Twenty-four percent were undecided, 9 percent went for Jack Wagner, 6 percent went for Dan Onorato and Joe Hoeffel got 3 percent.

Don’t get too excited if you’re…

August 6, 2009 at 8:01 am | Comments (3)

Knox says he’s for table games

In one of the first concrete policy positions taken by a gubernatorial candidate, Democrat Tom Knox has come out in favor of expanding legalized gaming in Pennsylvania to include table games.

In an interview with The Reading Eagle, part of a building media blitz Knox has enjoyed in recent weeks, the Philadelphia businessman said allowing table games at casinos in the state could raise $176 million for the state’s depleted coffers and help cover interest…

July 30, 2009 at 9:56 am | Comments (6)

Corbett leads Republicans in new guv poll and Dems in tight race; Rendell approval slips

Reflecting his strong name recognition from two statewide election victories, Attorney General Tom Corbett holds a significant lead over his Republican rivals in the race for governor, according to a new poll. But the Democratic primary is in a statistical dead heat, giving even more reason for other candidates to consider jumping into the contest.

The Quinnipiac University poll released today, which also gave lame-duck Gov. Ed Rendell his lowest apporval ratings to date, showed…

July 21, 2009 at 7:27 am | Comments (6)

EXCLUSIVE: Hoeffel considering gubernatorial bid

Five years after he gave up his Congressional seat in an unsuccessful run for Senate, Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Hoeffel is mulling a run for Governor, two Democrats who have spoken with him told pa2010.com.

Hoeffel would be the only elected official from the Philadelphia region in the Democratic primary—Tom Knox is from Philadelphia but doesn’t hold office—and his supporters say he would be a genuine progressive in a race that seems to be lacking…

July 9, 2009 at 11:00 pm | Comments (11)

Five Democrats who could shake up the Governor’s race

For months, Democratic insiders have looked at their party’s field for Governor and asked: “Is this it?”

And that was before Lehigh County Executive Don Cunningham full story

July 8, 2009 at 2:14 pm | Comments (16)

Onorato far outpacing Wagner in the money game

In their likely matchup for the gubernatorial votes in western Pennsylvania, Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato already has one huge advantage over his political rival, Auditor General Jack Wagner: money.

Onorato had pWhile much of Onorato’s war-chest was built from a 2007 reelection bid that cost very little, he continues to raise more than Wagner from month-to-month. Wagner raised a little over $10,000 in the month following this year’s primary, compared to almost $200,000 raised by Onorato, according to their campaign finance reports./p
pPhiladelphia businessman Tom Knox did not have to file a recent campaign finance report because he does not hold elected office. He had a a href="http://www.campaignfinance.state.pa.us/CFReport.aspx?CFReportID=67645&Section=Cover" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://www.campaignfinance.state.pa.us']);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fwww.campaignfinance.state.pa.us%2FCFReport.aspx%3FCFReportID%3D67645%26amp%3BSection%3DCover','minimal+sum')" target="_blank">minimal sum on hand at the end of last year, but is

July 6, 2009 at 1:40 pm | Comments (5)

Cunningham out of Governor’s race

Lehigh County Executive Don Cunningham said Thursday that he would not run for governor in 2010, calling off a campaign that had barely started and leaving the small field of Democrats even smaller.

Cunningham, who faces reelection this year and had been slower than Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato in building a statewide political apparatus, said in a statement that “neither the time nor the circumstances are right for me at this time to take…

June 25, 2009 at 6:00 pm | Comments (12)