Pocono News Section

Corbett & Onorato Frontrunners in Governors' Race

Corbett & Onorato Frontrunners in Governors' Race - Monday, May 17, 2010 at 04:01AM EST

Reported by: Eric Deabill
Monday May 17 2010
Corbett & Onorato Frontrunners in Governors' Race 0/ 5 rating

AVOCA, LUZERNE COUNTY -- The countdown is on until Tuesdays Primary Election here in Pennsylvania. Voters will be casting their ballots for U. S. Senator and key races in Harrisburg. One of the biggest statewide races is for governor.

There are six candidates in the running to be the state's next governor. Four are Democrats. Two are Republicans. Tuesday night that list will shrink dramatically.

Two of the candidates flew in and out of the airport here in Avoca Monday as they tried to get their message out. Theres only one poll. Its tomorrow. Its the only one that counts," says PA Attorney General Tom Corbett.

The Republican gubernatorial candidate spent Monday barn-storming across Pennsylvania. Corbett made stops in seven cities like this one in Pittston to explain why he thinks he deserves to be the state's next leader. For too long in Harrisburg, the statement has been whats in it for me? Whats in it for me?" What am I getting out of this? It can't be that way," he said.

Corbett is considered the front-runner on the Republican side, but he is facing a primary challenge from current Chairman of the House Finance Committee Sam Rohrer. Rohrer wants to lay the foundation for a strong state and remove the roadblocks to job creation.

On the Democratic side, Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato is considered the front-runner, both in the polls and fundraising. Onorato is promising to focus on job creation if elected, and says out of the four Democrats on the ticket, is the only one who's been an elected executive and downsized and consolidated government in his home area. I consolidated 10 elected offices into four. I consolidated five 9-1-1 centers into one and we saved seven million dollars a year," he said.

Onorato is facing three primary challengers. Current state Auditor General Jack Wagner wants to return integrity to Harrisburg and end pay to play politics.

Anthony Williams, who's the current chairman of the state Government Committee, wants to focus on government spending reform and wants to modernize the state's tax system, while current Montgomery County Chairman Joe Hoeffel wants to focus on making sure taxpayer money is going to the right place while rebuilding the state's economy with financial reforms.