Former Philadelphia Mayor Runs for Governor [read: former chair of DNC, Ed Rendell, runs for PA gov]

The NY Times ^ | Nov. 27, 2001 | AP

[summer]

November 27, 2001

Former Philadelphia Mayor Runs for Governor

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Former Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell entered the race for governor Tuesday, saying he could do for Pennsylvania what he did for the state's largest city.

``Ten years ago, some people said Philadelphia's best days were behind us. We proved the naysayers wrong,'' said the 57-year-old former chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

Rendell is often credited with bringing Philadelphia back from the brink of bankruptcy.

During his two terms as mayor beginning in 1992, the city turned a $250 million deficit into a $169 million surplus and reversed 30 years of job losses. Last year, it was host of the Republican National Convention.

``The situation we face today in Pennsylvania is not different from the situation I faced in Philadelphia a decade ago. ... I did it in Philadelphia and I can do it for all of Pennsylvania,'' Rendell said.

Rendell faces state Auditor General Robert P. Casey Jr., himself the son of a two-term governor, in the Democratic primary in May.

A Philadelphian has not been elected governor of Pennsylvania since 1914. Rendell lost to Casey's father in the 1986 gubernatorial primary.

State Attorney General Mike Fisher and state Treasurer Barbara Hafer are seeking the Republican nomination.

Gov. Mark Schweiker, a Republican who took over for Tom Ridge last month when Ridge was picked by President Bush to be the homeland security chief, has said he will leave office when Ridge's term is up in 2003.

[summer]

FYI.

[Dan from Michigan]

No Rendell. No. No gun grabbers...

[WriteOn]

Pennsylvania is falling into the quagmire called the East Coast.

[summer]

Dan, here is my prediction for this PA gov race: it will NOT be won by a Repubican, due to the Philly schools privatization attempt by the current GOP governor. But, we'll see. Just put me on the record for this prediction: a GOP candidate will not win it in PA -- no matter who is the Dem candidate for gov.

[Dan from Michigan]

Even Rendell?

I think Casey would win it if he is the nominee, especially if he's pro-2a.

Penn is as tough to predict as Michigan. Gore and Santorum both winning? In Michigan, Engler won 3 times, and Klinton won twice and Gore once.

[TopQuark]

Former Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell entered the race for governor Tuesday, saying he could do for Pennsylvania what he did for the state's largest city. Oh, no: time to move to Cherry Hill, NJ.

``Ten years ago, some people said Philadelphia's best days were behind us. We proved the naysayers wrong,'' said the 57-year-old former chairman of the Democratic National Committee. During the last decade even Clinton could not derail the prodictivity growth and Greenspan's wise monetary policy. Philadelphia would have been fine even if Hillary had been mayor.

[summer]

Well, now, you're making me think some more Dan....but, I go back to my major point: it's this schools plan. Depending on what happens with it. So far, the current GOP gov is retreating on it. If he retreats all the way, and in time for to voters forget all about it by next Nov, Casey might take it, but -- I have a feeling this schools mess will continue throughout the year. And, this will leave the GOP out in the cold, against whatever Dem candidate promises to get rid of the plan. That's just my prediction. So, I'll modify my position to say that it depends on what happens with the schools in Philly -- a Dem candidate could really play this up, if the plan bombs big -- and I think that's possible.

[PennsylvaniaMom]

Well we are in the midst of deer hunting season right now. Can't tell you how many hitch trailers I have seen the last couple of days w/a deer. The gun grabbing Rendell could sell his plan to Pittsburgh and Philly, but there is a whole lot of real estate in between. There are school districts that shut down due to the first day of deer season. Gun grabbers won't be successful here. Think Santorum.

[Dan from Michigan]

Is Casey a gun grabber? I know that there are a lot of pro-2a dems in Penn, like Kanjorski in paticular. Casey's dad was pro-life. If he's pro-life, or at least quiet on guns, I think he'd have the inside track for the dems.

Penn reminds me of Michigan though. Who thought that Levin would be a senator in the land of deer hunting for 25 years?

[summer]

PM, What kind of press has the Philly schools plan been getting in whatever part of PA you are located? All I can find is very negative press, about how almost everyone in Philly hates it. Is that what you are reading as well?

[UserFPC]

I can't see the Philly schools demise or takeover as the bellwhether of the 02 Governor's race. Pa races depend on many issues--name recognition, geographic region of the candidates, hot button issues of the candidates, and of course, money.

Name recognition is Rendell's biggest problem. Nobody outside Philly knows who he is. Everybody knows Bobby Casey--the guy's family has been in the public's face for more than 20 years.

Geography works both ways for Rendell--he'll get lots of support in the populous southeast, which has more votes than Casey's northeast, but Rendell can't count on Pittsburgh and the west jumping on his bandwagon. By the way, geography will pose a problem for the Democrats' primary winner, be he Rendell or Casey: the Republcan opponent is practically guaranteed to be an Allegheny County native, and western Pa tends to vote western in statewide races.

Money also goes both ways for Rendell: he needs lots of it, and I think Casey has more right now. But then, Rendell has access to the big checkbooks in the party with his work in 2000 for Gore. But yet again, Rendell may have pissed off the fatcats with some candid statements about Gore's chances at the beginning of the Great 2000 Election Challenge Bamboozle.

While I won't completely write off the Republicans' chances to retain the office, the Dems do have two candidates with a substantial CV, and beating either will be tough.

[summer]

I find that hard to believe that no one in PA outside of Philly knows Ed Rendell, since he was the former chairman of the DNC and: His face was all over the tube while he was in that position.

Or, did it just seem that way to me for some bizarre reason???

Maybe! LOL.. :)

[summer]

And, true, while there are many other issues involved in a race, I think this Philly schools issue is a big one. And, the GOP will suffer for it, if the news continues to be so negative about it.

[Holden Magroin]

A Democrat will definitely win in Pennsylvania. My guess is that Casey will win the primary because of his last name and supposedly pro-gun views, and then go on to defeat the Republican. But the Republicans are going to suffer a major ass-whooping all across the board in 2002, anyway; they've already done everything they could legislatively over the last eight years and will have a tough time convincing people that there's more to be done. This is a major reason why I think that even Texas will fall to the Democrats.

By the way, Republicans are in complete control of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, yet they still haven't passed a right-to-work law. As far as Levin goes, somebody needs to point out his anti-gun record. There's no reason why he should continue to win in that state.

[summer]

Re my post #7 - BTW -- I meant to say: if the voters forget all about this schools mess, then, the GOP might take the election (not "Casey" would take it).

[summer]

As to an "across the board" loss by the GOP? I don't think so. Here in FL, I predict Jeb Bush will win in a landslide against Janet Reno.

[PennsylvaniaMom]

I am in the western part of the state, and I read the Greensburg Tribune Review. What little has been written as basically been negative. But, again, not a big issue here. Not much is known about it. Big news story here has been how 9/11 has affected USAir (a huge employer...Pittsburgh International is its hub.)

[summer]

Thanks for the info, PM! :)