Tom Corbett has been a terrible governor here in Pennsylvania, but the odd thing is that almost everyone seems willing to acknowledge that he’s been terrible. If you move over to Ohio, John Kasich has been no better, but he at least gets some good press. Not that I hang with too many of them, but I don’t even hear Republicans defending Corbett.
Maybe he’s just not likable, but he hasn’t engendered much loyalty. The polls bear this out, with only 38% of Republicans currently saying that he deserves to be reelected. Considering that only 22% of independents and 7% of Democrats support his reelection, he’s basically a dead parrot. The upcoming shenanigans on the budget and debt ceiling from Washington Republicans are only going to further tarnish the GOP brand in this blue state, so there isn’t any relief for Corbett on the horizon.
In fact, Governor Corbett’s weakness is so stark, that it is enticing more Democrats to consider entering the race. Former State Auditor Jack Wagner, a moderate who got more votes than Obama in 2008, is sensing an opportunity and may make a bid. But, for now, Rep. Allyson Schwartz looks like the front-runner for the Democratic nomination. If elected, she would be the first woman to govern the Keystone State, and the first challenger to beat an incumbent governor since 1974. Also, since 1938, Pennsylvania gubernatorial voters have chosen against the president’s party 18 out of 19 times.
However, none of those statistics carry as much weight as Corbett’s leaden personality.