Philadelphia Democratic Rep. Allyson Schwartz recently confirmed what everyone had already suspected: She is seeking the Democratic nomination for governor in Pennsylvania. The big question is whether someone from southeastern Pennsylvania can get nominated, let alone win the governorship. During the past 35 years, only one politician from the southeastern corner of the state, former Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell, a Democrat, has been nominated. He also won two general elections. To wit: The current governor, Republican Tom Corbett, was born in Philadelphia but lived in western Pennsylvania for years and remains identified with that part of the state. Before being elected state attorney general, Corbett was the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania. Corbett was elected governor in 2010 when he defeated Democrat Dan Onorato, the former chief executive of Allegheny County (metropolitan Pittsburgh). Rendell won the governorship in 2002 and 2006. Both of his GOP opponents were identified with greater Pittsburgh — former Pittsburgh Steelers star Lynn Swann in 2006 and former state Attorney General Mike Fisher in 2002. (more…)
