Row-office candidates stand to gain recognition in future

AFTER YOU vote for president Tuesday, look down the ballot and you'll find candidates for three statewide posts - state treasurer, attorney general and auditor general.

The candidates may not be household names, but one of them just might end up being governor one day.

"These offices can certainly be stepping stones to the U.S. Senate, or governor," said western Pennsylvania analyst Jon Delano. "Pennsylvania is so big and difficult to run in that someone in one of these statewide offices always has a leg up on a regional candidate in a race for Senate or governor."

The so-called "row office" races this year feature two incumbents, one Democrat and one Republican, seeking second terms.

Democrat Rob McCord, 49, is a former venture capitalist and financial manager. Republican Tom Ellis, also 49, is an attorney and former chairman of the Montgomery County commissioners.

Ellis said that he wants to amend the state program providing tax deductions for college savings to include a discount at state universities. He also said that he's committed to campaign-finance reform.

McCord said that he'll draw on his financial experience to invest state pension funds in ways that build infrastructure and rehab housing, in the process creating jobs and earning good returns.

He cited similar partnerships in California and New York.

Both have picked up some newspaper endorsements, but McCord has a huge edge in fundraising, in part from $1.4 million he lent his own campaign.

Democrats have a registration edge of 1.2 million voters this year, and a big turnout would no doubt help McCord. Ellis said that he has run an energetic retail campaign and thinks he has helpful name recognition in the Philadelphia suburbs.

The Libertarian candidate is retired math professor Berlie Etzel.

Incumbent Republican Tom Corbett, 59, faces a challenge from Democrat John Morganelli, 52, the district attorney of Northampton County, in northeastern Pennsylvania. Also running is the Libertarian candidate, Marakay Rogers, a lawyer.

Corbett, who narrowly won four years ago, made headlines this year with an investigation and indictments of Democratic legislative aides and one state lawmaker on corruption charges.

He said he's proud of that and his efforts against child predators, elder abuse and drug traffickers.

Morganelli thinks that the attorney general should require any gun owner to report a lost or stolen weapon, a step Gov. Rendell has unsuccessfully pushed in the Legislature to combat gun trafficking.

"Let's get this done," Morganelli said. "It's an important step in getting guns out of the hands of criminals."

Corbett said that the attorney general lacks the authority to issue such a regulation. "He's trying to get around the will of the Legislature," Corbett said.

Corbett has the advantage of incumbency and a large fundraising edge.

Morganelli's hopes probably rest with a big Democratic turnout for the presidential contest.

"This is all about turnout," said political analyst Larry Ceisler. "You'll have all these people coming out who have no sense of the row-office races. Either they'll vote for president and walk out of the voting booth, or they'll pull a straight-party lever."

If Obama gets a win of 5 or more percentage points in the state, Ceisler said, Morganelli has a chance.

Corbett is considered a potential candidate for governor in 2010.

Incumbent Democrat Jack Wagner, 60, has name recognition from his current post, his years in the state Senate from western Pennsylvania and his run for lieutenant governor in 2002.

Republican Chet Beiler, 45, is a Lancaster County businessman who was born into an Amish family and retains close ties to that community.

The Libertarian candidate is Betsy Summers, a veterinary- supply saleswoman from Wilkes-Barre.

Beiler has argued that Wagner is too close to the political establishment in Harrisburg. Wagner touts his performance audits of the state Gaming Control Board and other agencies.

Wagner has the advantages of incumbency, a big fundraising edge and the prospect of a robust Democratic turnout on Tuesday.*