Blair GOP hosting gubernatorial debate tonight
10 of the 14 people vying for state’s top post to appear at convention center
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HARRISBURG -- The Republican race to determine the party's candidate to run for governor is unprecedented, not only due to the size of the field -- 14 candidates are now running -- but because of the diversity of the candidates.
To give area voters a chance to learn more about the candidates and where they stand on the issues, the Blair County Republican Committee will host a debate from 7 to 8:30 p.m. tonight, Thursday, Jan. 27, at the Blair County Convention Center. Doors open at 6:15 p.m.
Space is limited and tickets are required. For more information, visit www.blairgop.org or www.bcrw45.org. Click on the Eventbrite link to reserve a seat.
Lawrence Tabas, chairman of the Republican Party of Pennsylvania, will serve as the debate moderator.
Ten candidates are slated to take part in the debate including Senate President Pro Tem Jake Corman, R-Centre; Sen. Scott Martin, R-Lancaster; former U.S. Attorney Bill McSwain; former U.S. Rep. Melissa Hart; attorney Jason Richey; businessman and former Delaware County commissioner Dave White; retired executive John Ventre; heart surgeon Nche Zama; long-time Republican strategist Charlie Gerow and former Chester County Chamber of Commerce CEO Guy Ciarrocchi.
Four candidates are not expected to be on hand for the event, as of Wednesday evening.
Sen. Doug Mastriano, R-Franklin; former U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta; Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Gale; businessman Shawn Berger are not slated to appear.
The last time there was a comparable election was in 2010 when then-Gov. Ed Rendell, a Democrat, was term-limited, creating an open race to succeed him. Two Republicans competed for that party's nomination and four candidates competed for the Democratic nomination. Republican Tom Corbett won the GOP nomination and then won the general election.
In trying to hold onto the governor's office, Democrats are trying to accomplish something that hasn't happened since the 1950s -- win the governor's election for three consecutive terms.
Among the field of candidates are two seeking to become the first foreign-born governor in more than a century -- Zama was born in Cameroon while Gerow was born in Brazil.
Berger, the owner of a Northampton County restaurant, said he was inspired to run by the Wolf administration's handling of the COVID pandemic.
Another candidate, Ventre, is a retired executive who's written multiple books on UFO sightings.
The dizzying array of candidates seeking the post is likely due to a combination of factors -- including the angst among many Republicans around the state over the Wolf administration's handling of the COVID pandemic, along with the availability of social media to help people try to build a network of supporters quickly and inexpensively.
"The circumstances of the last few years have pushed people into wanting to get engaged because they don't like the way things are," said Christopher Borick, a professor of political science at Muhlenberg College. "It's also, we live in this world, where with the online world, you know, you're going to establish a presence, you can introduce your voice in ways that weren't always present in the past. So people that are on the periphery of the political world feel like there's a path."
While conventional wisdom suggests that the unorthodox candidates in the race will have an uphill battle trying to get attention and enough support to compete with other well-known candidates, in today's world of social media, no one can be discounted.
"You don't want to discount somebody just because they're unknown or haven't been engaged. The realist says, there's a hard path. It's hard for them. That doesn't mean they're not capable or have a lot to bring to the table," Borick said.
If you go
What: Republican gubernatorial candidate debate
When: 7 to 8:30 p.m. tonight; doors open at 6:15 p.m.
Where: Blair County Convention Center
Information: Tickets are required. Visit www.blairgop.org or www.bcrw45.org. Click on the Eventbrite link to reserve a seat.