Corbett Makes His Gubernatorial Bid Official

Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett, R, has made his bid for the governor’s mansion official, entering a GOP primary race against U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach, 6th, of Berks, Chester, Lehigh and Montgomery counties.

“With a strong belief that we can and must do better … with a promise to every family in Pennsylvania that we will restore trust in Harrisburg [and that] we will protect your hard-earned tax dollars and we will turn on the power of Pennsylvania’s economy, I announce my candidacy to become the next Governor of Pennsylvania,” Mr. Corbett said at the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh on Monday.

In declaring his candidacy, he is depending on copious positive press he has received on work he has done to prosecute gun crime, child predation and political corruption. But he has only lightly weighed in on matters of legislative policy.

His primary opponent, by necessity, has taken many positions on such policy issues, albeit ones that often cut against the general direction of his own party. He has cast votes in Congress in favor of an expanded children’s health-care entitlement, against drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and for many in-district spending projects.

“Gerlach is not a fiscal conservative,” said Ryan Shafik, communications director at the Harrisburg-based Lincoln Institute of Public Opinion Research. “He’s got a very bad record on fiscal issues.”

But Mr. Shafik said many of his fellow conservatives tend to be unexcited about the Republican nomination contest for governor because Mr. Corbett has only made hints that he will be a center-right force in Harrisburg.

The attorney general has promised to promote clean coal technologies and natural gas drilling to shore up the state’s energy supply and he has talked about spending cuts that include reducing the commonwealth’s vehicle fleet. Also, like Mr. Gerlach, he is opposed to abortion and gay marriage. But his policy statements haven’t been tremendously detailed as of yet.

“He’s just so far a generic Republican,” Mr. Shafik said. “No one really knows where he stands. Gerlach, to his credit, has been specific.”

As to whether Mr. Corbett can employ the good-government credentials that usually come with being a prosecutor, Mr. Shafik said that remains to be seen.

“The clear test will be, in the minds of activists, whether he indicts Republicans” in the “bonusgate” scandal, referring to state legislative leaders’ alleged payment of bonuses to government staffers who worked on political campaigns, which violates state law.

Eric Epstein, head of the nonpartisan Harrisburg-based reform group Rockthecapital.org, said he views Mr. Corbett’s reform record as thin.

“He has no record on the reforms that really count: Pension reform, education reform, property-tax reform,” Mr. Epstein said. “Pennsylvanians don’t have the luxury of on-the-job training for the next governor.”

Although not a Republican, Mr. Epstein said he sees public value in Mr. Gerlach’s decision to run for governor.

“I applaud Gerlach’s entry into the race,” the activist said. “I think it’ll sharpen Corbett’s positions.”

Mr. Epstein said despite that, he believes Mr. Corbett has performed some commendable tasks in his office by putting violent criminals and identity thieves in jail. He also thinks that Mr. Gerlach has a “tough hill to climb” in terms of getting Republicans statewide to pay attention, even though he has demonstrated his campaigning prowess in a district that is trending Democratic. Mr. Gerlach hails from the southeast while Mr. Corbett is from Allegheny County.

Democrats who have indicated they’re eyeing the governor’s mansion include Philadelphia businessman Tom Knox, Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato, State Auditor General Jack Wagner and Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty.