Chris Doherty for Governor

pa2010 is reporting that Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty is running for Governor of Pennsylvania. He has been mentioned by the great mentioners (including me) for many other offices including Congress and Lt. Governor. He will cruise to reelection to Mayor of Scranton as both the Democratic and Republican nominees and will use this race to raise money for the next campaign.

A few weeks ago Doherty put out a letter saying he was pro-choice which signaled he was looking at a run for another office. The abortion hotheads reacted predictably.


Docs Letter:

I’ve been mayor of Scranton for the past eight years, but outside of northeast Pennsylvania, people are still just getting to know me.
So for the last several weeks I’ve been traveling around the state, talking to people about the challenges we face and how we can work together to help create more jobs, grow our economy, and get Pennsylvania working again.
One question I get a lot is about my position on a woman’s right to choose. People look at me and they see a guy from Scranton who was one of 11 kids, a father of six and an active member of his church. They put those pieces together and they’re surprised when I tell them, I’m pro-choice.
I support a woman’s right to choose because, in my view, this is an extremely private, personal matter and every woman should have the right to decide for herself, with the input of her family, her doctor, and her faith. It is not an issue where government should decide. It is a private, personal choice.
Sometimes I get hypothetical questions about how I’d react to what the Supreme Court may or may not do or to a bill that doesn’t exist. To those questions I can only say that my position won’t change. I won’t support a bill that takes away a woman’s right to make her own decision.
Like any candidate, I’ve had occasion to fill out questionnaires on the subject. Such questionnaires are often worded in ways that fail to accurately reflect my position. The fact is, I support a woman’s right to choose. At the same time, I respect the rights of others to disagree, in some cases very passionately.
The right to passionately and intelligently advocate for your beliefs is one of the principles on which our country was founded and, as mayor, I have issued a proclamation acknowledging those who exercise that right on the other side of this issue. Supporting a woman’s right to choose while respecting the rights of others to disagree are not mutually exclusive positions. In fact, a shared bond of respect on this and most issues would serve us well as we work toward a common future.
And that common future will most likely be defined by the choices we make on Pennsylvania’s economy over the next several years, not by social issues. During the last eight years in Scranton, we’ve helped create thousands of new jobs and generate $500 million in new investment. We’ve enjoyed tremendous success by keeping our government focused on the things it can do best: creating jobs, growing the economy, and keeping our communities safe.
Pennsylvania’s next governor will face significant challenges and he or she would do well to keep the Pennsylvania government focused on the things it can do best—get Pennsylvanians working again and put the state’s economy back on the right track.

This is good news for the Corey O'Brien for Congress campaign. I still expect another Lackawanna County Democrat to get into the 2010 primary to split the anti-Kanjo vote.

Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato, state Auditor General Jack Wagner and Philadelphia payday loanshark Tom Knox are all expected to seek the Democratic nomination, former Senate candidate Joe Hoeffel is also considering the race.

The "if "went out of the speculation today when I got this email:

CHRIS DOHERTY ANNOUNCES CAMPAIGN TEAM AS HE PREPARES FOR 2010 PENNSYLVANIA GOVERNOR'S RACE

Scranton, PA - Today Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty unveiled his campaign team as he prepares to runfor governor in 2010. The Doherty team is comprised of seasoned Pennsylvania and Washington, DCcampaign veterans, each with a proven track record of winning big elections."This is a winning team," declared Doherty. "They've elected presidents, governors, senators, and Members of Congress. They know Pennsylvania and they know what it takes to get the job done here.I want to put Pennsylvanians back to work and this is the campaign team that will help me do it."The Doherty campaign team includes:Corey Platt, Campaign Manager. Corey comes to the Doherty Team after two cycles in Missouri. In2008 he managed Kansas City Mayor Kay Barnes's race in MO-06 and in 2006 he was the political director for the Missouri Democratic Party where he helped elect Claire McCaskill to the United States Senate. He has worked for numerous other campaigns and organizations in California, Arizona,and the Midwest.Julian Mulvey and Tad Devine, Media. Devine Mulvey is a strategic communications firm with extensive experience helping clients win campaigns in the U.S. and around the world. Their approach is centered on crafting clear messages, producing compelling media, and executing a disciplinedc ommunications strategy. They have helped elect dozens of statewide candidates and crafted the media strategy that helped elect Chris Carney (PA-10) to Congress in 2006, Bob Casey, Jr auditor general in 1996 and 2000, and Lynne Abraham district attorney in 1997 and 2001. Tad Devine served as a senior advisor and strategist to Senator John Kerry's campaign for president in 2004 and to Vice President Al Gore's campaign for president in 2000.Margie Omero, Polling. Margie Omero is President and founder of Momentum Analysis, a public opinion research firm. Omero's clients include the DNC, the DCCC, labor unions, and campaigns around the country from City Council to US Senate. She worked on both the campaigns of Congressman Chris Carney (PA-10) and Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper (PA-3). Omero is a blogger at pollster.com, and was named one of "50 Politicos To Watch" by The Politico online journal.Steve Stenberg, Mail. A partner at the Strategy Group, Steve combines years of campaign experience with localized direct mail strategies to help Democrats win in both blue and red states. In 2008,Steve produced direct mail for the Obama for America campaign while also serving as a lead consultant to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's independent expenditure efforts.Mark Nevins, Communications. Based in Philadelphia, Mark is a founding partner of the Dover Group,a full-service campaign strategy firm. Mark has extensive experience in Pennsylvania politics having served as communications director for Hillary Clinton's 2008 Pennsylvania primary campaign,as Pennsylvania communications director for Kerry/Edwards 2004, and as an advisor to congressional candidates all over the state. The Dover Group is also assisting the Doherty campaign with its fundraising and finance programs.