Tis the season to be political!

Chair
Denis P. O’Brien
PECO/ Exelon
December 2011
Treasurer
Gretchen R. Haggerty
United States Steel
‘Tis the season to be political!
Secretary
Kathy Pape
Pennsylvania American Water
For folks in the elections and campaign business it‘s a wonderful time of the year.
Education Foundation Chair
T. William Boxx
McKenna Foundation
Bells are ringing to begin a highly charged Presidential election campaign. The Iowa Caucuses
are just days away, followed closely by the New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Florida primaries. It‘s like the 12 days of Christmas with candidates a leaping, and fundraisers a milking, and
a President in the White House ….
PEG PAC Chair
Gary Veshecco
Erie Insurance
President & CEO
David W. Patti
And look what was left under the tree: 203 new state House districts, 50 new state Senate districts, and 18 new Congressional districts. Oh sure, we‘ll grow bored with these new toys in a
few cycles, but for now they‘re great fun. We‘ll spend months breaking down the demographics,
voter registration files, micro-targeting, and pervious election results.
Director of Administration &
PBC Education Foundation
Suzie Barbush
Political & Grassroots Director
Christopher Nicholas
Issue Manager
James Zawacki
Events Manager
Ashley L. Parsells
We‘ll gorge ourselves with gratuitous and inane spin room commentary. The TV pundits will
span the nation with mind-numbing commentary. We‘ll be doing 140-character Twitter shots
until our eyes bleed. Our heads will be pounding with a political hangover each post-Primary
morning, but in days we‘ll be back for more.
We can‘t wait.
Intern
Joshua Nyce
In this edition of the Pennsylvania Political Report, we prepare for the coming onslaught. Pollster Jim Lee provides the latest survey numbers. We analyze the impact of redistricting. We
provide a who‘s who of potential US Senate and state row officer candidates. We take a look at
announced and potential legislative retirements. And, our readers give us some interesting
feedback on the 2011 Pennsylvania Society festivities.
Strategic Partner
Valerie S. Gaydos
51st Associates
Consultants
Earl M. Baker, PhD
Dimitri Daskalakis, JD
Michael E. Greenberg, PhD
Kathleen Woolever
We hope you enjoy this appetizer to an exciting 2012 political season. But more importantly, we
wish you, your family, and your friends a happy and blessed holiday season; a safe and prosperous new year.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Pollster Jim Lee gives the latest 2
Readers Poll: PA Society
3
Q&A with US Senator Casey
4
Casey Democrat challengers
5
Casey Republican challengers
6
Republican Senate Debate
7
Congressional redistricting
8
New PA legislative districts
9
PA legislative retirements
10
Pennsylvania row offices
12
All the best,
David W. Patti
PBC President & CEO
Page 2
By James Lee
President & Founder
Susquehanna Polling & Research
Pollster Jim Lee went into
the field recently to gauge
how the race for President
has changed in PA. With
the demise of the Cain
campaign and the rise of
Pennsylvania native Newt
Gingrich, the team at
SP&R asks, ―Who leads in
the Keystone State?‖
it‘s time to give a new person a chance in
the race for President, while only 8% say
President Obama has done his job well
enough to deserve reelection. Four (4) percent were either undecided or refused to
answer. This overwhelming sentiment for
change among Republicans is a strong indication that the President is viewed through
a highly partisan lens, and suggests he has
failed to achieve any bipartisan appeal
among cross-over voters, something he
pledged to do during his first campaign for
president in 2008.
rating of all six candidates tested, at 56%
favorable to 27% unfavorable. An additional
17% said they don‘t know enough about
him to form an opinion. Other candidates
with a net-positive rating include Mitt Romney (46% to 33% favorable to unfavorable)
and Rick Santorum (45% favorable to 34%
unfavorable). Viewed more negatively than
positively are candidates Michele Bachman
(30% favorable to 42% unfavorable), Rick
Perry (20% favorable to 48% unfavorable)
and Ron Paul (20% favorable to 49% unfavorable). Gingrich‘s strong positive rating is
a clear indication he has appeal with a
broad cross-section of PA GOP voters, even
more so than Mitt Romney or PA native Rick
Santorum. It is unlikely that candidates Rick
Perry, Ron Paul, and Michele Bachman can
be competitive in the state unless they can
successfully reverse their inverted negativeto-positive images.
-up with Republican voters, N. Gingrich leads the race with
35%, followed by M. Romney (18%), R.
Santorum (14%), R. Paul (8%), M. Bach-
Pennsylvania Political Report
GOP Presidential Preference Among
PA Voters
Susquehanna Polling & Research
December 7-11, 2011
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Note: Huntsman not included in poll.
mann (6%) and R. Perry (2%). Fourteen (14)
percent say they are still undecided, while
2% picked ―other‖ and 1% refused. A decision was made to not include John Huntsman in the ballot-test due to both programming limitations with an automated poll and
a perceived lack of organizational support in
the state. Gingrich‘s lead over Romney is
impressive given how quickly he has captured the lead both in PA and according to
many polls in other battleground states.
However, a combined 48% of GOP voters
still choose a candidate other than Gingrich,
so the extent to which Gingrich is able to
sustain this lead will largely be determined
by which candidates, if any, drop out in
coming months and how much of this support he is able to pick up.
second choice candidate among Bachmann
voters. If we assume Gingrich and Romney
stay in the race for obvious reasons, as
does Santorum because he‘s a Pennsylvania native (which is questionable unless
he does well in upcoming contests), Gingrich receives more second choice votes
among Bachmann, Paul, and Perry voters
than any other candidate. Plus, his 56%
favorable rating, ten points better than
Romney‘s 46% positive rating, means Gingrich clearly has more room to grow if he is
able to maintain good debate performances
in coming months and has the cash reserves to sustain his candidacy through the
early nomination states now operating under new rules for awarding delegates.
Methodology: The automated poll was con-
would be their second choice to win the
GOP nomination, Romney captures the lead
with 23%, followed by Gingrich (18%),
Santorum (16%), Bachmann (9%), Paul
(6%), and Perry (5%). However, Gingrich
might be the candidate with the most room
to grow depending on who drops out of the
race in coming months, as stated earlier.
This is because Gingrich is picked as the
second choice candidate more than any
other contender in the race. Gingrich is
named the second choice candidate of
Romney, Santorum, and Perry voters. In
comparison, Romney is named the second
choice candidate by only Gingrich and Paul
voters, while Santorum is named the top
ducted December 7-11 using automated polling
software both owned by SP&R and programmed
by our internal survey associates. The universe
for the poll includes registered Republican voters
with a vote history in at least one of P10, P09,
P08, P07 or P06. Pre-qualified voters are then
asked to complete the survey by scoring their
answers to a pre-recorded series of questions
using their telephone key pads. The surveys are
carefully monitored to ensure a representative
sample of likely Republican voters in Pennsylvania is achieved based on geographic location,
age, gender, and other demographics. Results
can be statistically weighted to adjust for either
an over or under-sample of respondents within
demographic groups. The margin of error for a
sample size of 1,106 interviews is +/-2.95% at
the 95% confidence level.
Page 3
The weekend is important, the actual
dinner is not, and the event should stay in
the Big Apple – those are the takeaways
from a new Pennsylvania Political Report
survey. Of the 167 Report subscribers who
answered our e-mail poll, 60 percent said
they attended Pennsylvania Society festivities earlier this month. Of those who attended, nearly 75 percent said they went
because their ―professional duties include
public/government affairs.‖ Eleven percent
said they were ―political junkies who loved
the atmosphere‖ and nine percent said they
were a current officeholder or candidate.
About four percent said they tagged along
with their significant other.
―Other obligations‖ and ―cost‖ were the
two most frequently cited reasons for not
attending Pennsylvania Society in 2011.
Just 38 percent of survey respondents
who trekked to New York City for Pennsylvania Society actually attended the Society‘s Black Tie Dinner on Saturday, which
honored Guion ―Guy‖ Bluford, Jr. of Philadelphia, the first African-American in space.
But, said one who did, ―Why did it take us
so long to honor such an amazing person?‖
Of course, Pennsylvania Society has become known in recent years for the blizzard
of events and receptions held between
Thursday afternoon and Sunday morning.
Although responses were varied when people were asked to name the most memorable event, the one most mentioned was the
annual Saturday morning breakfast at the
Metropolitan Club sponsored by the Pennsylvania Manufacturer‘s Association (PMA)
ahead!‖ Others cited (some in a positive
tone; some negative) the unanimous conservative nature of the GOP field of Senate
candidates and the fact that there just wasn‘t enough time to attend all the various
events. One thoughtful attendee said it was
―how upset people are about the state of
the nation but how pessimistic they are
about turning it around.‖ Still others noted
that there did not seem to be as many legislators in New York as in years past. One
reveler must have received quite a scare:
she wrote the most surprising thing they
learned was, ―That legislation I oppose was
on a fast track for Monday.‖
Asked to mention the funniest or most
outrageous story or rumor, one wag noted
that Governor Corbett refers to his red
sweater as his ‗Bobby Knight‘ sweater while
another said that Philadelphians had discovered a shale-play under the city.
As to the age-old argument to hold the
Pennsylvania Society event within the confines of the Commonwealth, 56 percent
said they would never take it out of New
York City, while 15 percent wanted to rotate
between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. But
26 percent said the idea of moving the festivities should seriously be studied and considered. Those who wanted to keep it in
New York cited tradition and the neutrality
of the city as the main reasons for staying.
Note to the irate: the full name of the organization is The Pennsylvania Society of
New York.
Overall, more than 70 percent of respondents were men while nearly 60 percent
said they were over 50.
and Wells Fargo.
Next, attendees mentioned various
GOP fundraisers and receptions, along with
private dinners with friends. The Marcellus
Shale Coalition reception and the GOP Senate debate sponsored by the Pennsylvania
Business Council‘s Education Foundation
were also highlighted. One respondent
mentioned a visit to the Ground Zero Memorial, whose solemnity they likened to a
―large outdoor funeral home.‖
When asked to list the most surprising
thing they learned at the 2011 Pennsylvania Society festivities, one reader responded: ―that Jerry Blavat is still
alive.‖ (The legendary Philly DJ
spun the oldies
at the IBEW
reception Friday
night.) One
sharp-eyed party
-goer noted that
―20-30-year
olds can‘t keep
up with 50-60year olds without crossing the
line from
‗pleasant‘ to
‗out of control‘‖
56% “never take it
and admonout of New York City.”
ished the
younger set to
―pace yourselves if you
want to get
Pennsylvania Political Report
Page 4
When he was elected in 2006, U.S. Senator
Bob Casey was the first PA Democrat
elected to a full Senate term since 1962.
He defeated two-term incumbent U.S. Senator Rick Santorum by a 16 percent margin.
But then, Bob Casey, Jr. never lost a General Election. He won two terms as the
Commonwealth’s Auditor General in 1996
and re-elected in 2000. In 2002, Senator
Casey was defeated in the grueling Democrat Primary for Governor by Philadelphia
Mayor Ed Rendell. But Casey took lessons
from the defeat. He was elected Treasurer
in 2004 and was soon recruited by national
party operatives to launch his bid for the
U.S. Senate. In 2012, Senator Casey will
face a tough bid for re-election from one of
the eight or nine individuals said to be entering the Republican Primary. Meanwhile,
the Senator says he’s committed to “giving
voice to Pennsylvania priorities in Washington, helping those who are struggling in the
worst economy in a generation, and working to create and retain Pennsylvania jobs.”
Discussing the policy issues and politics in
which he is engaged, Senator Casey gave
this interview to the Pennsylvania Political
Report editors.
PPR: You recently introduced legislation on
disclosure and regulation of fracking in Marcellus shale. What do you see are the greatest challenges in this area of growth? How
will your proposed legislation help make for
a smooth transition for this growing industry
in Pennsylvania?
BC: Natural gas development has the potential to create Pennsylvania jobs,
strengthen our state‘s economy and reduce
our dependence on foreign oil. But we must
get this right. Precautions must be taken to
protect the drinking water and the health of
Pennsylvanians.
More can be done to prepare Pennsylvania
workers for jobs in this new industry rather
than ship in workers from out-of-state. That
is why I have also introduced legislation to
increase job training for skills needed in the
natural gas industry so these new jobs will
go to Pennsylvanians. I am also working
with Pennsylvania community colleges to
ensure curriculums focus on these skills.
PPR: Over the last several years unemployment in Pennsylvania has nearly doubled.
The level of spending that President Obama
proposes has resulted in many of your own
party to dissent. You are amongst a handful
of Democrats who have opposed the
Obama Jobs bill in favor of smaller more
targeted legislation. What are the smaller
more targeted steps you would propose?
BC: There is no doubt that we need targeted job creation measures. That is why
this week I introduced legislation to cut
taxes for small businesses and the middle
class. In addition to cutting the payroll tax
from 6.2% to 3.1% for 160 million American
workers, the Middle Class Tax Cut Act would
cut the Payroll Tax in Half for 98% of U.S.
Businesses. It would help 230,000 businesses and provide over $1,500 per family.
In addition to this bill, I also cosponsored
the Teachers and First Responders Back to
Work Act which will create or protect nearly
400,000 education jobs, while preventing
the layoffs of thousands of cops and firefighters. This critical legislation would help
states and localities keep their schools
strong and their streets safe, without adding
a dime to the deficit.
PPR: Last year, the U.S. Department of
Energy awarded a $122 million grant to a
team led by Penn State University to create
an Energy Innovation Hub at the Navy Yard
in Philadelphia to develop technologies to
make buildings more efficient. Can you tell
us more about your role in this achievement
and expand on how this will be most beneficial to PA and our nation in spurring jobs
and new business development?
BC: I urged to the U.S. Department of Energy to award the grant establishing the
Energy Innovation Hub because it is the
kind of public-private partnership that
boosts technological advances as well as
job creation. This has bipartisan support
and business support. The new technologies developed through this partnership
have the potential to fuel new businesses
and industries in Pennsylvania, ensuring
that a new generation of workers can thrive
and support their families.
“Natural gas development has the
potential to create Pennsylvania
jobs, strengthen our state’s economy and reduce our dependence on
foreign oil. But we must get this
right. Precautions must be taken to
protect the drinking water and the
health of Pennsylvanians.”
PPR: What would you say has been your
most significant or meaningful vote since
you have taken office?
BC: There have been several critical votes
on job creation, including the one we expect
this week on my payroll tax cut legislation. I
am also proud of my vote to preserve and
expand the Children‘s Health Insurance
Program (CHIP), a successful program
started by my father, Governor Casey, that
provides quality care for millions of children
PPR: Who are your greatest role models
and/or allies in the Senate and why?
BC: I admire Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin. His integrity,
work ethic and his humility are commendable. He comes from Michigan – another
manufacturing state so he understands
some of the challenges we face in this economy. He also has a wealth of knowledge on
national security issues and is a true public
servant. He and I traveled together to Pakistan and Afghanistan in 2008.
Page 5
PPR: Health care costs are an enormous
expense for businesses and continue to
grow. What do you propose will help get
these costs under control? What other
measures have you taken or supported
which have supported small business?
BC: I have fought for legislative strategies
like my payroll tax cut bill that help small
businesses across the state so they can
grow and create jobs. I‘ve been pushing the
Small Business Administration to lower
interest rates on loans for small businesses
recovering from the devastating series of
storms and have introduced legislation to
do just that. I also fought hard to enact the
Small Business Jobs Act, which has provided over $190 million in working capital
to community banks in Pennsylvania. Since
its passage, I have pushed the Treasury to
increase the pace for applicants approval of
these loans. These are just some of the
ways I‘m fighting for small businesses in the
state.
The unchecked rise in the cost of health
care poses significant problems to keeping
health care affordable, and helping small
businesses grow. That‘s why I have voted
for new protections for small businesses
and their employees including a tax credit
to offset the costs of coverage. As of 2010,
up to 178,505 Pennsylvania small businesses are immediately eligible for the new
tax credit. In addition, I voted for measures
to help businesses boost employee wellness and combat chronic diseases such as
diabetes and heart disease, which will improve productivity and save businesses
money.
PPR: Recently, the Obama Administration
pulled the plug on the CLASS program in
Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act
saying that there was ―no viable path forward‖ for the program. In 2009, you were
among those who supported this program.
What do you see is the alternative?
BC: The costs of long-term health care are
only increasing in this country. There is no
easy answer, but it is clear that we need a
comprehensive solution. It is also clear that
there has to be a private sector component.
It will take time, but I am confident
that we will eventually get there.
Casey has Primary Challengers
Senator Bob Casey has only ever lost one election — a Primary Election race against Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell in 2002. Rendell, of course, went on to defeat Mike Fisher in
November of that year and Lynn Swann in 2006 to complete eight years as Governor. To
hold his job in the US Senate, Casey will have to first win the Democrat nomination. Two
individuals have announced plans to challenge him for the party‘s nod:
Brian Kelly – is married to the former Patricia Piotroski and the
couple resides in Northeastern Pennsylvania; they are the proud
parents of three adult children, Brian, Michael, and Katie. Brian
was born and "raised" in Wilkes-Barre, PA. He attended St. Boniface Grade School and Meyers High School. He won an academic
scholarship to King's College and with the help of a National
Defense Student Loan, and the Work-Study Program, he graduated cum Laude with a degree in Data Processing. After King's,
he joined the IBM Corporation as a Computer Science Systems
Assistant where he spent 23 years before retiring. During his IBM
career, Kelly received his M.B.A. in Accounting and Finance from
Wilkes University. After his time at IBM, Brian accepted a position
with College Misericordia as its Technology Manager / Internal IT
Consultant. At the same time, he initiated his own IT consulting practice, Kelly Consulting.
In 2004, Kelly joined the faculty of Marywood University and, in addition to maintaining his
consulting practice; Kelly served Marywood as an Assistant Professor of Business Information Technology until his retirement in May 2011.
Joseph Vodvarka — was born in Pittsburgh and graduated from Stowe
High School. He is a life-long resident of Allegheny County. Since
1978 he has owned and operated Vodvarka Springs Company — a
small manufacturer of springs for industrial and military applications.
His firm is located in Clinton, Pennsylvania. A life member of the NRA,
Vodvarka is married with two sons.
Page 6
The following biographical information was
taken from the websites or campaign literature of the candidates, or from phone interviews. PBC did not fact check tor verify the
information provided by the candidates or
campaigns. For more, see the candidates
own websites which are hypertext linked to
their name.
Tim Burns -- Tim Burns is a businessman,
father, and community leader. The one
thing he isn‘t is a politician. After growing
up in a half a double house in Johnstown,
PA and graduating from Indiana University
of Pennsylvania, Tim decided to try his hand
at business and in 1992, started a pharmacy software company. It wasn‘t an instant success, as Tim started his business
in his basement with little more than his
savings. Through his hard work and determination, Tim built his company into a
leader in the pharmacy software industry,
growing his business to over 400 employees before being acquired by a public company. After speaking at a local Tea Party
rally in 2009, Tim decided enough was
enough. That‘s when he made the decision
to run for Congress. The odds were stacked
against him, and in a district with only 29%
Republicans, Tim raised more than $2 million and lost a nationally watched election
by 1%. Tim lives with his two boys in EightyFour, Pennsylvania, just outside Pittsburgh.
David Christian -- David Christian was born
in Gainesville, Fl. and raised in Levittown,
PA. At the age of 17 with his mother‘s permission, Christian enlisted in the Airborne/
Infantry of the US Army. He was able to
rapidly advance from E-1 to an E-5 within
eight months. He was accepted to Officers
Candidate School and was later promoted
to become one of the youngest Captains in
Army history. His actions on the battlefield
earned him two nominations for the Medal
of Honor. Additional acts of valor earned
him the Distinguished Service Cross – the
nation‘s 2nd highest valor award -- two Silver Stars, the Bronze Star, the Air Medal for
25 combat assaults into ―hot‖ landing
zones, two Vietnamese Crosses for Gallantry and a Combat Infantry Badge. In
civilian life, he established DAC Consulting
Firm which focuses on developing relationships between American and foreign companies for investment opportunities. He is
the president of a defense manufacturing
company located in Northeast Philadelphia
which builds ground support equipment for
US Navy Aircraft Carriers. David and his
wife, Peggy, live in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. They have four children and six
grandchildren.
Philadelphia, Robert has been able to apply
these values in his own life. For the past
eighteen years, he has acquired significant
experience in the financial sector, managing
two small businesses specializing in commercial financing.
Laureen Cummings -- Laureen Cummings is
a life-long resident of Pennsylvania, a nurse,
and small business owner. Prior to starting
her own business in 1999, she had 20 plus
years in Business Administration within the
Health Care field. After starting her business, she grew from 2 employees to over
40 in 3 years. Laureen was featured on Fox
News & the Rush Limbaugh Show to express her outrage in 2008 for the MSM's
lack of vetting of Barack Obama, as well as
the treatment of Sarah Palin and her children. Laureen, on a separate occasion, also
spoke in depth on the Rush Limbaugh show
regarding specific points to educate the
community about Cap & Trade legislation.
Laureen is a pro-life advocate, the Founder
of Scranton Tea Party, and is currently serving as Republican Committeewoman, Old
Forge Ward 3-0.
Sam Rohrer -- Sam Rohrer served the Berks
County area as Pennsylvania State Representative from 1992 to November 2010.
Throughout his nine terms in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Rohrer
distinguished himself as an expert in a number of areas. On finance and economic issues, Rohrer served as a 14-year member
of the Appropriations Committee. There he
routinely produced complete alternative
state budgets under Republican and Democrat Governors that spent less, demonstrating that fiscally restrained budgets that
respected business and the taxpayer not
only could be achieved, but were essential if
state government was to remain fiscally
solvent. In November of 2009, Sam formally
entered the race for Governor of Pennsylvania as the conservative Republican candidate. From February to November of 2011,
Sam Rohrer accepted the position of State
Director for Americans for Prosperity, the
largest grassroots organization in the country dedicated to defending individual freedom and liberty. Sam and his wife Ruth Ann
live in Berks County and are the parents of
six children and five grandchildren.
John D. Kensinger, II — is a registered pharmacist who manages a WalMart pharmacy
in Bedford County. The 49 year-old is a
graduate of the University of Pittsburgh.
Kensinger, his wife and four children live in
New Paris, Pennsylvania. Kensinger sought
the Republican nomination for the US Senate in 2010.
Robert Allen Mansfield -- Philadelphia Resident and Iraq War Veteran. In 1996, Robert
enlisted in the U.S. military, serving for over
thirteen years collectively in the PA National
Guard and US Army. In 2005, reenlisting for
his second tour of duty in the PA National
Guard, Robert once again signed a contract
with the United States of America to support
and defend its constitution against ALL enemies -- both foreign and domestic. Shortly
following his tour in Iraq however, Robert
was diagnosed with kidney cancer, and his
military service was cut short. Sgt. Mansfield is a serious fiscal conservative with the
interests of the people in mind. He is a prolife Republican and a staunch constitutionalist fervently committed to the ideals of
personal responsibility, liberty, and limited
government. Born into adversity January
28, 1971, and growing up in foster care in
Marc Scaringi -- Scaringi was born and
raised in Pittsburgh and learned the value
of hard work and personal responsibility
from his father, a fully commissioned furniture salesman. Marc graduated from
Georgetown University. Following college,
he returned to Pittsburgh and worked as a
small business manager. In the early 90‘s,
Scaringi volunteered on Rick Santorum's
campaign for Senate. Santorum asked Scaringi to join his Washington staff, and Scaringi assisted the Senator in pushing for
such initiatives as a balanced budget
amendment and welfare reform. In 1996,
Marc came back to Pennsylvania to help
lead Mike Fisher‘s campaign for Attorney
General. Fisher appointed Scaringi to a
senior staff position; during his time there
Marc attended law school at night at
Widener University, earning his degree in
2001. Later that year Marc left politics and
went to work as a lawyer in Perry County. In
Page 7
2005, Marc and his wife Melanie opened
their own law firm in Harrisburg, which has
grown to three locations, employing 17 people. He lives in Camp Hill with Melanie and
their three children.
Tom Smith – still lives on the farm in Armstrong County where he grew up. After
graduating from Elderton High School in
1965, he postponed college to help his
father tend that farm and supplemented his
income by driving a school bus. Before too
long, Tom had married his high school
sweetheart, Saundy, started a family, and
went to work in a local surface coal mine.
In 1989, Tom entered the coal business
himself, mortgaging everything he had in
the hope that he could build a better life for
himself and his family. He succeeded, build-
ing a series of companies in a highly regulated industry through some tough economic times. When he sold the companies
in 2010, they were mining more than a million tons of coal a year and employed nearly
one hundred people. Tom and Saundy are
the proud parents of seven children and the
grandparents of eight.
Steve Welch -- The son of an engineer and
teacher, Steve grew up in Chester County,
Pennsylvania and attended Penn State University where he earned a Mechanical Engineering degree. Steve married his childhood best friend Nicole. They live in Malvern, Chester County and are proud parents
of a passionate 4 year-old daughter, a lively
2 year-old son, and a precious new born
daughter. Steve started his first big entre-
Seven of the nine announced candidates for the Republican US
Senate nomination participated in debate during the Pennsylvania
Society events in New York City. The debate was sponsored by the
Pennsylvania Business Council Education Foundation.
―This debate was designed to provide the people of Pennsylvania
with a better sense of the candidates‘ qualifications and views,‖
explained PBC President & CEO David W. Patti. ―PBC has not taken
a position on Senator Casey‘s qualification for re-election, nor on the
candidacy of any Republican challenger.‖
The GOP candidates took questions from top political reporters
Tom Fitzgerald of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Jim O‘Toole of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Colby Itkowitz of the Allentown Morning
Call. The debate covered a wide range of topics – everything from
the economy and the Congressional Super Committee to Marcellus
Shale, tolling of I-95, Supreme Court nominations, hot button issues
such as abortion and gun control, and even the firing of Penn State
football coach Joe Paterno.
The discussion of child sexual abuse turned personal as two can-
preneurial success, Mitos, in 2001 with
hardly a cent to his name. Under Steve‘s
guidance, Mitos developed several critical
patents which transformed the biological
drug and vaccine industries and allowed
Mitos to flourish. The company still resides
in Phoenixville, PA under Parker Hannifin
guidance. Following the sale of Mitos,
Steve co-founded DreamIt Ventures, a new
business accelerator model that has been
featured in Forbes, USA Today, and the Wall
Street Journal as a new model for launching
technology companies. In 2011, he
founded education technology company
KinderTown, a business designed to help
parents engage in their children‘s education
at an early age.
didates disclosed they had been victimized in their youth. Discussing their views on Roe v. Wade, one candidate disclosed he was the
son of teen parents while another candidate shared that she was a
teen mother.
The event was staged in the Terrace Room of the Plaza hotel
immediately following a Republican State Committee luncheon.
Many of the RSC donors took in our debate following the lunch
event. Well over 200 people cycled through the audience staying
for part or all of the debate. More than 100 people logged on for all
or part of the webcast of the debate.
Reporters from 10 media outlets attended the debate and
blogged/wrote about it. (Associated Press, Allentown Morning Call,
Harrisburg Patriot News, Pennsylvania Independent, Philadelphia
Daily News, Philadelphia Inquirer, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pocono
Record, Scranton Times/Citizens Voice, and WHYY radio. Washington, DC-based writers and bloggers watched the webcast.
PCN recorded and telecasted the debate. To watch PBC‘s recorded webcast, click here. For news clips, click here.
Page 8
Pennsylvania‘s new Congressional map – with 18 districts instead of 19 -- was approved just before Christmas and installs new campaign
boundaries beginning in 2012. Overall, the map greatly helps GOP freshmen – especially Lou Barletta. Second (non-consecutive) term Republican Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick was not benefitted, but the map did meet his requirement that Bucks County be kept entirely within
the 8th District, as it has been for decades.
The new map moves Democrat Congressman Tim Holden‘s central PA/Berks district into NEPA and the Lehigh Valley. It also extends several
GOP Congressmen from SEPA into central PA – notably Charlie Dent and Jim Gerlach. Dent‘s Lehigh Valley-based 15th District loses Easton
and northeastern Northampton County and will now extend through Berks and Lebanon counties into Dauphin County –he will now represent
Chocolatetown USA, Derry Township (Hershey). Gerlach‘s Chester County district moves into Lebanon County as well. Other parts of central
PA will now be represented by Congressmen Tom Marino and Lou Barletta of NEPA. All these moves make the districts more palatable for
the current incumbents; although it could wind up initially making the seats more expensive to campaign in since the districts have expanded into multiple TV markets, thus increasing overall media costs.
The new map accomplishes a main goal of the state GOP, as it forces incumbent Democrat Congressmen Mark Critz and Jason Altmire into
the same district, the 12th. The new 12th is comprised of about two-thirds of Altmire‘s old territory – a fact he has trumpeted -- but Critz has
already started rolling out key endorsements and promises of support from organized labor, crucial there in a Democrat primary. Altmire‘s
voting record has long antagonized union leaders, so much so that the head of the Allegheny County Labor Council, Jack Shea, nearly
mounted a primary challenge to him in 2010. But the bigger news about the 12th District is that it‘s now classified as ‗lean GOP‘ – Sen.
John McCain took 54 percent of the vote there in 2008.
The state‘s current House delegation is 12-7 Republican, and the new map, by combining Altmire and Critz, guarantees a 12-6 ratio if all
incumbents win re-election. Democrats will look to re-elect whichever incumbent survives their PA-12 primary, and also target Fitzpatrick in
the 8th and Pat Meehan in the 7th, and perhaps Mike Kelly in the 3rd or Joe Pitts in the 16th. Republicans in turn will focus on the 12th.
For more details, click here for Pittsburgh Post-Gazette comparison of old and new Congressional Districts based on 2008 votes for President Obama. Click here to read an in-depth district-by-district report on Pennsylvania‘s new Congressional map, created by PBC Political and
Grassroots Director Christopher Nicholas.
Pennsylvania Political Report
Page 9
On December 12, 2011 the Legislative Redistricting Commission (LRC) approved the new maps for the State House and Senate districts
by a 4-1 vote. LRC Chair Stephen McEwen, the two GOP Caucus Leaders, along with House Democrat Leader Frank Dermody, voted for the
plan -- while Senate Democrat Leader Jay Costa voted ―no.‖
In the Senate, the plan moves the 45th District in Allegheny County – currently held by James R. Brewster (D) – to the Poconos, where it
encompasses all of Monroe County and a significant portion of Northampton County. Speculation abounds that current Monroe County GOP
State Rep. Mario Scavello is slated to be his party‘s standard-bearer for the new Senate seat – which would create an open House race.
In the House, two Democrat and two Republican seats were moved. The GOP-held 5th District moves from Erie County to Berks County;
Rep. John Evans who currently holds the 5th has announced his plans to retire. The 169th District – currently held by former Speaker Dennis
O‘Brien – moves from northeast Philadelphia to southwestern York County. O‘Brien ran for and won a seat on the Philadelphia City Council.
For the Democrats, Chelsa Wagner‘s Pittsburgh seat was moved to Allentown in order to create a majority Hispanic district, while Rep. Nick
Kotik‘s Allegheny County seat was moved to the Downingtown/Coatesville section of Chester County. Allegheny County voters elected Wagner County Controller in November. In 2009, Kotik launched a Pennsylvania House ―Blue Dog Caucus‖ of socially conservative Democrats
who stood up to Governor Ed Rendell and their party leadership‘s efforts to increase the personal income tax by 16 percent. Kotik‘s home
now falls in the district of fellow Democrat Jesse White meaning a Primary battle to see which will represent the newly configured district.
Highlights of the New Pennsylvania Legislative Districts
45th State Senate District: The proposed re-draw of the state‘s 50 Senate districts moves the 45th District from Allegheny County to Monroe and Northampton counties. Monroe County, currently split between six state Senate districts, would contain nearly two-thirds of the new
district‘s voters. Overall, the registration in the district would be 46 percent Democrat, 36 percent Republican, and 18 percent Independent.
The Northampton portion of the district is more Republican than the Monroe County portion. And Monroe County has flip-flopped in the past
two elections. In 2010, it voted for Republicans Pat Toomey, Tom Corbett, and Lou Barletta; in 2008 the county went for Democrats Barack
Obama, John Morganelli, Jack Wagner, Rob McCord, and Paul Kanjorski.
22nd State House District: Chelsa Wagner‘s 22nd House District moves from Allegheny County to Lehigh County to create a majorityHispanic district in Allentown. Every Allentown ward in the new 22nd is heavily Democratic which means this is a safe seat for Democrats
that will be decided in their April primary. Though it‘s drawn to support a Hispanic, this new seat should attract a large number of Democrat
candidates, which could allow a non-Hispanic to sneak through a large field of candidates in a contested primary.
45th State House District: The Allegheny County district of Rep. Kotik moves to Chester County and will be centered in the Downingtown/
Coatesville area. Registration there is almost 2:1 Democrat but the seat will also help the GOP by allowing neighboring Republican-held districts to become more Republican by ‗shedding‘ Democrat towns into the new district. So the two Democrat-held seats move, but both, especially the 22nd, should stay in their control.
5th State House District: The retirement of Erie‘s John Evans made it easier for the GOP to move this district. The new 5th District is located entirely within Berks County -- stretching from its western border with Lebanon County along I-78 east and southeast through rural
farming areas, eventually wrapping around the east and west sides of Reading, taking in some of Wyomissing plus parts of Exeter Township.
By registration, the 18 municipalities in the district hold a solid Republican registration; the current 5th District in Erie is Democrat +400. It
will be interesting to see how the conservative farming communities along I-78 mesh with the more moderate voters around Reading.
169th State House District: The newly formed 169th District will move 120 miles to southwestern York County, anchored by Hanover on
the western edge (which had for many years been part of an Adams County seat) and Shrewsbury to the east. This area has experienced
massive growth recently -- fueled by Marylanders moving north from suburban Baltimore in search of lower taxes (really). All 10 municipalities in the new 169th are GOP-majority towns, and together the district is nearly +8,000 Republican. This has all the trappings of a seat that
will be decided in a crowded Republican primary next April. Both the 169th and the 5th look like they will be less of a financial burden on the
House Republican Campaign Committee than the ones they are replacing – and the new Democrat seats will also be easier (and less expensive) for the House Democrats to hold.
Save the date. PEG PAC Annual Dinner
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Pennsylvania Political Report
Page 10
PEG PAC has, for its nearly 40 year history, monitored Pennsylvania‘s political landscape with a long-term focus. Planning transcends twoyear political cycles. Of course, elections beget elections. As an individual climbs the political ladder, election to higher office creates an
―open seat‖ below. For this reason, PBC/PEG PAC staff follow rumors and reports of intentions to seek election to a different office. Similarly, age and health, sooner or later, result in open seats.
Elected to other office and departing: Representatives Kenyatta Johnson (D), Denny O‘Brien (R), Doug Reichley (R), Jewell Robinson (D), Josh
Shapiro (D), and Chelsa Wagner (D).
Announced House retirements so far: Representatives Scott Boyd (R), Ron Buxton( D), Tom Creighton (R), John Evans( R), Jennifer Mann (D),
Curt Schroeder (R), and Ed Staback (D).
One tool PBC/PEG PAC has used for years to predict future retirements is a simple little database that tracks incumbent lawmakers by age
and seniority. The premise is simple: older members, or members with high seniority are more likely to retire. This database awards one
―point‖ for each year of age and each year of service in the House and Senate. Members are ranked by the sum of their ―points.‖ There is
no magic in the process, but it does provide some guidance for long-range planning purposes. The chart below ranks the 25 Pennsylvania
state senators whose odd-number districts are scheduled for election in the coming year. This chart is NOT meant to suggest that anyone is
retiring, but provides the Senator‘s age and seniority as of Election Day in November 2012. Already, two members, on the list, Republicans
Jeff Piccola and Jane Earll have announced their retirements. The top 25 members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives ranked by
age and service are listed in the chart on page 11.
Name
District
Party
First
Elected to
Senate
Years of
Service in
Senate
Years of
Service in
House
Age
Election Day
2012
Service
+ Age
Jeffrey E. Piccola1
Patricia H. Vance
John N. Wozniak
Mary Jo White
Vincent J. Hughes
Shirley M. Kitchen
David Argall
Donald C. White
Andrew E. Dinniman
Gene Yaw
Jay Costa, Jr.
Jane M. Earll1
John R. Gordner
Jim Brewster2
Dominic F. Pileggi
15
31
35
21
7
3
29
41
19
23
43
49
27
45
9
R
R
D
R
D
D
R
R
D
R
D
R
R
D
R
1995
2004
1996
1996
1994
1996
2009
2000
2006
2008
1996
1996
2003
2010
2002
17
8
16
16
18
16
3
12
6
4
16
16
9
2
10
19
14
16
0
8
0
24
0
0
0
0
0
11
0
0
64
76
56
70
56
66
53
62
68
69
54
54
50
63
53
100
98
88
86
82
82
80
74
74
73
70
70
70
65
63
Joseph B. Scarnati, III
Michael J. Stack, III
25
5
R
D
2000
2000
12
12
0
0
50
49
62
61
Daylin Leach
Judith Schwank
17
11
D
D
2008
2011
4
1
6
0
51
60
61
61
Elder Vogel, Jr.
Kim Ward
47
39
R
R
2008
2008
4
4
0
0
56
56
60
60
John Pippy
Lloyd Smucker
Larry Farnese
37
13
1
R
R
D
2003
2008
2008
9
4
4
7
0
0
41
48
44
57
52
48
Richard Alloway
33
R
2008
4
0
44
48
1 Announced
2 District
retirement.
eliminated by redistricting.
Pennsylvania Political Report
Page 11
Rank
Name
Party
First
Elected
Age Election
Day 2012
Years of
Service in
House
Service
+ Age
74
D
1974
84
38
122
District
1
Camille George
2
Nicholas A. Micozzie
163
R
1978
82
34
116
3
Robert W. Godshall
53
R
1982
79
30
109
4
Paul Clymer
145
R
1980
75
32
107
5
Thomas Caltagirone
127
D
1976
70
36
106
6
Tony DeLuca
32
D
1982
75
30
105
7
Edward G. Staback1
115
D
1984
75
28
103
79
R
1978
67
34
101
202
D
1974
63
38
101
78
R
1986
74
26
100
182
D
1984
72
28
100
50
D
1976
62
36
98
8 Tie
Richard A. Geist
8 Tie
Mark B. Cohen
10 Tie
Dick L. Hess
10 Tie
Barbette Josephs
11
H. William DeWeese
12
Lawrence H. Curry
154
D
1992
77
20
97
13
Joseph Preston, Jr.
24
D
1982
65
30
95
14
James R. Roebuck, Jr.
188
D
1985
67
27
94
15 Tie
Louise Williams Bishop
192
D
1988
69
24
93
169
R
1976/1982
60
33
93
2
15 Tie
Dennis M. O'Brien
17 Tie
Peter J. Daley, II
49
D
1982
62
30
92
17 Tie
Joseph F. Markosek
25
D
1982
62
30
92
203
D
1980
58
32
90
19
Dwight Evans
20 Tie
Harry A. Readshaw
36
D
1994
71
18
89
20 Tie
Ronald S. Marsico
105
R
1988
65
24
89
22
W. Curtis Thomas
181
D
1988
64
24
88
23
William F. Adolph
165
R
1988
63
24
87
24
Phyllis Mundy
120
D
1990
64
22
86
25 Tie
Julie Harhart
183
R
1994
67
18
85
25 Tie
Tim Hennessey
26
R
1992
65
20
85
25 Tie
John J. Taylor
177
R
1984
57
28
85
1 Announced
retirement.
2 Elected to Philadelphia City Council.
Pennsylvania Political Report
Page 12
TREASURER
Democrat Rob McCord was first elected Treasurer in 2008. Prior to his election, McCord was a business leader, serving as senior executive at Safeguard Scientifics from 1994 to 2007. From 1994 and 2007, McCord worked as a
senior executive at Safeguard Scientifics, and founded the Eastern Technology Fund and served as co-founder and
Managing Director of Pennsylvania Early Stage Partners. In addition, from 1996 through 2007, he led the Eastern
Technology Council, a trade association that served hundreds of fast-growing companies. Before joining the private
sector, McCord worked on Capitol Hill, where he specialized in budget and technology issues. He served as CEO of
the Congressional Institute for the Future, a bipartisan think tank. McCord earned his MBA from the Wharton School
at the University of Pennsylvania, and he earned his undergraduate degree (with high honors) in history and economics from Harvard University. With his wife and two sons, McCord lives in Montgomery County.
At this time, PBC knows of no Republican candidates for state treasurer.
AUDITOR GENERAL
State voters will elect a new Auditor General in 2012, as incumbent Democrat Jack Wagener is term-limited.
Democrat Eugene DePasquale has represented York County‘s 95th District in the House of Representatives since
2007. Soon after taking office, Eugene became the first Pennsylvania state legislator to post his expenses on his
website. From 2003 to 2006, Eugene was the Deputy Secretary for Community Revitalization and Local Government
Support of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. Eugene was born and raised in Pittsburgh and
is the grandson of former Pittsburgh City Council President Eugene ―Jeep‖ DePasquale. Eugene graduated from the
College of Wooster, earned an M.P.A. from the Univiversity of Pittsburgh and his law degree from Widener University
School of Law. He, his wife and their two children live in West Manchester Township, where he also coaches youth
basketball.
Republican Ann Duke was born and raised in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania. She received her undergraduate degree
from Georgetown University and her law degree from the Widener University School of Law. A former West Chester
Borough Council member, she won election as Chester County Treasurer in 2009 after beating the incumbent Republican in the GOP Primary. After investing in its start-up, Ann served as Senior Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer
and General Counsel of Stonebridge Bank. She is currently Of Counsel with the law firm Gawthrop Greenwood, P.C.
Ann and her husband Bill live in West Chester with her four biological children and three step-children.
Republican John A. Maher of Allegheny County has been a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
since September 1997, representing the 40th District. A CPA since 1983, Rep. Maher launched one of the largest
CPA auditing firms founded in Pennsylvania during the past half-century. He is a graduate of Duke University, with an
A.B. degree in Management Sciences/Accounting. He also completed scholarship studies at Oxford University and
the Australian Graduate School of Management. He has been a guest instructor at Carnegie Mellon University and a
member of the Community College of Allegheny County adjunct faculty. Maher served on the National Advisory
Board, Center for Government Accounting Research and Education during the 1990s and the national governing
body of the American Institute of CPAs in 2009 and 2010.
Republican Frank Pinto the former chief executive of the Pennsylvania Association of Community Bankers is rumored
to be testing the waters for an Auditor General run. Pinto, who spent 25 years leading PACB before his retirement in
September 2011, was previously a senior staff member to Pennsylvania Senate Pro Tempore Henry G. Hager and
U.S. Senator John Heinz.
Pennsylvania Political Report
Page 13
ATTORNEY GENERAL
There will be an open race for Pennsylvania‘s ―top cop‖ in 2012. Incumbent Pennsylvania Attorney General Linda Kelly agreed not to seek
election to the office when she was nominated to fill the unexpired term of Governor Tom Corbett. Kelly has recently gained national attention for her indictment of former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky. This spotlight on the role and powers of the Attorney
General might bring more scrutiny to the candidates. No Democrat has won the post since the constitution was amended to allow for the
popular election of an Attorney General beginning in 1980.
Democrat Kathleen Granahan Kane was an Assistant District Attorney for Lackawanna County, beginning in the
child abuse/sexual assault unit. Simultaneous to the duties of this unit, Kane specialized in cases involving elder
abuse, prosecuted white-collar criminals, and exposed abuses in Orphans‘ Court. She was selected as the Deputy
to head Lackawanna County‘s first Insurance Fraud Task Force. In addition, she has contributed to Lackawanna
County‘s Mental Health Court. Kane was born and raised in Scranton. She is a graduate of the Scranton public
school system. Kane graduated from the University of Scranton and Temple University School of Law. Her legal
career began with civil litigation with the firm of Post & Schell, P.C. in Philadelphia before returning home to accept
a position as an ADA
Republican David Freed has served as Cumberland County District Attorney since December 2005 becoming at
that time the youngest District Attorney of a Fourth Class County in the Commonwealth. Prior to taking over as
District Attorney, he served in both the Cumberland and York County DA‘s office. He also worked in the private
practice of law concentrating on insurance defense litigation. He graduated from Camp Hill High School and received his B.A., cum laude, from Washington and Lee University and his J.D. from the Pennsylvania State University
Dickinson School of Law. He is an elected member of the Executive Committee of the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association (PDAA). He and his wife Amy live in Camp Hill with their three children.
Democrat Dan McCafffery was raised in Philadelphia. He volunteered for an Army combat unit. After transferring
to the Reserves, he graduated from both Temple University and Temple University School of Law. He served as an
Assistant District Attorney in Philadelphia for six years. For the past 15 years, he has worked as a commercial litigator with the law firm Friedman, Schuman, PC. He serves on the Father Judge High School Board of Advisors and
coaches high school rugby and youth girls basketball. He is the father of two daughters.
Democrat Patrick Murphy represented the 8th District of Pennsylvania in Congress from 2007-2011. He was
raised in Philadelphia and graduated from King‘s College in Wilkes-Barre, where he enrolled in the Army ROTC
program and was commissioned as an officer. He later graduated from Widener University School of Law in Harrisburg. He served in the Army in Bosnia and later Iraq. Prior to his time in combat, he was an assistant professor in
the Department of Law at West Point. He also served as Judge Advocate and as a Special Assistant to the United
States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. He, his wife Jenni and their two children reside in Bristol
(Bucks County). He is currently a partner at Fox Rothschild LLP in Philadelphia and teaches at Widener University
School of Law.
Republican John Rafferty, Jr. represents the 44th Senatorial District. There he serves as Chairman of the Senate
Transportation Committee and is a member of Appropriations, Banking and Insurance, Consumer Protection and
Professional Licensure, and Judiciary committees. Prior to running for the Senate, Rafferty served as an attorney
in private practice, focusing on education, real estate, zoning and business, and estates law. As Deputy Attorney
General for the Commonwealth from 1988 to 1991, he was responsible for the Criminal Law Division and Grand
Jury Investigations. He was previously elected to the Lower Providence Township Board of Supervisors. He earned
his bachelor‘s degree from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, his master‘s degree from Beaver College, and
his law degree from Temple University.
Pennsylvania Political Report