In Pennsylvania, Labor Poised to Unseat Corbett in November Elections

[Judi Lynn]

Friday, Sep 12, 2014, 1:08 pm

In Pennsylvania, Labor Poised to Unseat Corbett in November Elections
BY Bruce Vail

Just in time for Labor Day, a new election poll last week brought good news for Pennsylvania unions. The latest data from the Pittsburgh-based Robert Morris University Polling Institute shows Tom Wolf, a pro-labor Democrat running for governor of Pennsylvania this November, trouncing the conservative Republican incumbent by more than 30 points. If the poll proves predictive come Election Day, Wolf’s win would be a historic one, defying the trend of near-automatic reelection of incumbent governors, and ushering in a huge victory for the state’s unions.

The poll, released September 2, shows Democratic candidate Tom Wolf leading Republican Gov. Thomas W. Corbett by 55.8 to 24.7 percent. Though Pennsylvania labor leaders caution that the enormous lead indicated by this poll is an outlier, other polls have also indicated that Wolf has a powerful lead over the unpopular Corbett. So powerful, in fact, that National Journal Political Editor Josh Kraushaar titled a recent commentary on Corbett, “Dead Man Walking.”

“The polls lately have been showing Tom Wolf in incredibly good shape,” says Rick Bloomingdale, president of the 800,000-member state AFL-CIO. “So I have to keep telling people, ‘Hey this is Pennsylvania. We’re a purple state. We can’t let up.’ We’re not taking this thing for granted.” Nevertheless, there is a buoyant feeling throughout the state’s labor community, he notes, based both on a sense of excitement that Wolf is a genuinely pro-labor candidate, as well as relief that Corbett’s four-year attack on unions is finally coming to an end.

Corbett was one of a number of anti-union Republican governors elected in 2010, a year notable for conservative victories. Pennsylvania is the only one of several governors’ races this year where a pro-labor Democrat clearly leads against an anti-union incumbent. Republicans such as Gov. Scott Walker in Wisconsin and Gov. Rick Scott in Florida are holding up well in early campaigning, and labor union campaigns to defeat these officials appear to be much more difficult than in Pennsylvania.

More:
http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/17165/pennsylvania_union_success

[hollysmom]

1. I don't know anyone who lives in Pennsy that likes him and that includes republicans,

If he is not wiped out completely, I will be amazed. Now if only people in Wisconsin could see the same.

[meow2u3]

2. Unfortunately, I do know someone in Pennsy

That person is my neighbor from 2 doors down. Both elderly mom and son are diehard Republicans. You can't talk them out of their slavish devotion to the GOP.

[hollysmom]

3. there is always going to be people like that,

I admit I know more people from Texas than Pennsy, even though it is a neighboring state.

[Treant]

5. I like him

...when he's gone. So I'll really like him come January.

[markpkessinger]

4. Great news!

In addition to the excerpt quoted above, the article mention Corbett's desire to privatize state liquor stores. This is one issue -- indeed the ONLY issue -- on which I agree with Corbett. I am certainly no fan of privatization generally speaking. I am 100% opposed to privatizing publicly owned utilities, for example, and to privatizing services that are traditionally the province of government (e.g.,prisons, education, etc.) But liquor is a commercial product, and there is absolutely no rational basis for the state to be involved in retailing a commercial product. I grew up in Pennsylvania, and have spent my entire adult life in New York (where liquor is sold by private retailers). Whenever I visit family and visit one of PA"s state stores, I am astounded by the very poor selection of inventory. The state store system does not serve PA residents well.

[Liberal_in_LA]

6. good news