Exciting times
Don’t look now, but the April 24 spring primary is fast approaching, and with it comes one of the most interesting contests in years on the Republican ballot. GOP voters across the Commonwealth will take to the polls to let their party know who they think should run against Barack Obama in the fall.
The Republicans normally would have already picked their presidential nominee by now, rendering the Pennsylvania presidential primary meaningless. But the GOP’s nominating process this year has been anything but normal.
Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney picked up the endorsements of many Republican Party officials last year and won several early primaries to make his nomination seem inevitable.
But Rick Santorum had other ideas. The former Pennsylvania senator, who lost his re-election bid to Democrat Bob Casey Jr. by 16 points in 2006, has garnered the support of many right-wing conservatives, propelling him to victory in several primaries, mostly in the South.
After teetering on the verge of defeat, Romney has apparently regained his footing and holds a commanding lead in the number of delegates who will actually pick the nominee at the Republican National Convention set for Aug. 27-30 in Tampa, Fla.
But Santorum’s not giving up, and his best hope now would be to win his home state by a convincing margin. In fact, that might be the only way he’ll be able to salvage his campaign.
So, after Tuesday’s primaries in Maryland, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia, all eyes will shift to the next round of primaries, which will include the all-important Pennsylvania contest on April 24.
With almost a month to campaign in Pennsylvania, it’s quite possible that at least some of the candidates might make stops here.
It’s all reminiscent of four years ago when Obama and Hillary Clinton staged a fierce fight in Pennsylvania’s Democratic Party primary. Clinton came to Fayette County for a big event at Penn State Fayette, the Eberly Campus, accompanied by numerous other Democratic Party politicians. She also spoke at California University just days before the election. Her husband, Bill, even made a campaign stop here. It was the first time in ages that a presidential candidate and a former president made campaign stops in Fayette County.
Of course, there are numerous differences this time around. First, back then, the race was between two candidates. While many see the GOP election as a contest between Romney and Santorum, there are two other candidates on the ballot in Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich. Gingrich, in particular, has roots here in Pennsylvania and could garner some support at the polls.
The second difference is that back in 2008, Pennsylvania was the only primary that day, making it the sole focus for both Clinton and Obama. This time, there will also be races in Connecticut, New York, Delaware and Rhode Island. While Pennsylvania will be important, especially to Santorum, the race here won’t be the sole focus of the candidates.
But the biggest difference is that back then, voters elected delegates who were committed to either Obama or Clinton. The Republicans will be electing candidates who aren’t committed to any candidate. That’s a pretty interesting twist, one that sort of defies explanation.
So, while Republican voters will get to cast ballots for the presidential nominee of their choice, the big contest will be their selection of delegates. And they’ll have to take the delegate’s word that somehow they’ll do the right thing when it comes time to nominate a candidate at the Republican National Convention.
Supposedly, that’s the way the Republicans have done it in the past, and certainly you can say that’s worked out well for them. But no matter how the nominee is eventually selected, the next month figures to be an exciting and interesting time for all Republicans in Pennsylvania.
It’s a good thing, too, because the presidential race is far and away the most interesting race on both ballots.
There are only two local races on the ballot. Incumbent state Rep. Peter J. Daley II., D-California, is facing a challenge from Randy Barli of Coal Center, while two Republicans, George Toothman and Mark Fisher, both of Waynesburg, are battling for the nomination in the 50th district where Democratic incumbent Bill DeWeese is running unopposed.
Statewide there are several races. Five candidates are seeking the GOP nomination for one of the state’s two seats in the U.S. Senate. They are David Christian, Marc Scaringi, Steven Welch, Tom Smith and Sam Rohrer.
On the Democratic ticket, Casey is facing a challenge from Joseph Vodvarka.
Democrats Kathleen Kane and Patrick Murphy are battling for the attorney general nomination, while Republican David Freed is unopposed.
Republicans Frank Pinto and John Maher are seeking the nomination for Auditor General, while Democrat Eugene Depasquale is unopposed.
Republican Diana Irey Vaughn of Washington County and Democrat incumbent Robert McCord are running unopposed for state treasurer.