Swann defends independence in gubernatorial race
LEVITTOWN – GOP gubernatorial hopeful Lynn Swann insisted Tuesday he was not handpicked by the state’s Republican establishment and would maintain an independent voice against a Legislature under his party’s control. In an interview, Swann said his spot on the GOP ticket this fall is his own making and not the result of any Republican effort to force out contenders. The issue came up as part of a question about how he would be an independent force against a likely Republican-controlled Legislature.
Swann ran unopposed in the May primary after three other candidates – including former lieutenant governor Bill Scranton – dropped out.
“I earned that right to run,” Swann bristled. “I don’t know where this comes from. I’ve heard people discussing this and the innuendoes that I was handpicked by the Republican Party across the U.S., that I was this chosen person.”
Swann continued, “Nobody asked me to run. I made the decision to run. Nobody from Washington, D.C., gave me a stamp of approval. Nobody from the Republican Party of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania said, ‘You’re our guy and we’re going to force these other guys out.'”
But Scranton, who unexpectedly dropped out of the primary race four days before the Republican State Committee met to hold its endorsement vote in February, cited GOP leaders as the reason.
“Against the backdrop of these deeply held convictions and the growing realization that Pennsylvania’s Republican establishment is opposed to my call for an open primary, I have determined that my chances of success are minimal in mounting a grassroots campaign effort,” Scranton said in a press release at the time.
And Gov. Ed Rendell’s campaign spokesman Dan Fee said numerous newspapers have demonstrated the link between President Bush and Swann’s nomination, including a June 8 Washington Times article that stated:
“Pennsylvania Republicans say President Bush’s campaign strategist, Karl Rove, picked Mr. Swann as the nominee over Mr. Scranton, working through Republican National Chairman Ken Mehlman and then-state GOP Chairman Eileen Melvin to force Mr. Scranton out of the gubernatorial primary.”
Political analyst G. Terry Madonna, director of the Keystone Poll, said it is unusual, but not unheard of, to have unopposed primaries.
Despite an easy win in May, Swann’s candidacy hasn’t been bereft of internal party criticisms, particularly Republican grumbling in the early summer that Swann was not mastering the issues and was not aggressive.
Just three weeks shy of the November election, Swann has still been unable to close a double-digit gap in the polls against his Democratic opponent, Gov. Ed Rendell.
Madonna noted that Swann has become a much better campaigner, although the question now is whether his improvement has come too late.
Reform has become one of Swann’s main campaign points, and on Tuesday he insisted he would be an independent voice in Harrisburg, even in dealing with a Republican-controlled Legislature.
Speaking before the Bucks County Courier Times editorial board, a sister paper of the Herald-Standard as both are owned by Calkins Media, Swann said he supports opening state budget negotiations to the public, and an open records law for the state Legislature guaranteeing the public’s legal right to information on legislative spending.
As does Rendell, Swann said he also supports legislative term limits and reducing the size of the Legislature to make the 253-member body “more manageable.”
But Swann is not calling for change to the way pay raises, perhaps the most contentious issue in state politics this year, are handled. Rendell supports a citizen’s commission to review and recommend the pay levels of top state government officials.
“I think if you’re doing it fairly and in the light of day, and it’s an open discussion, whether or not you do it legislatively or with an independent body … or there’s some other formula for pay raises doesn’t matter,” Swann said.
His solution? Keep the system as is, but implement a 72-hour waiting period before the governor signs a law.
Swann also swore off the kind of legislative “horse-trading” on issues of the sort that led Rendell to approve the 2005 pay raise.
“I don’t want any part of it. I have no plans to horse-trade down to mediocrity,” he said. “I don’t feel locked into supporting anything at this point in time that’s going to be bad for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, whether it’s presented by a Democrat, Republican, or my wife.”
Swann’s wife, Charena Swann, is a Democrat.
On other issues, Swann said he does not support laws that restrict gun purchases to one per month, instead offering a proposal to put 5,000 new police officers in targeted, high-crime areas. He also promoted restrictions on damage awards in medical liability cases as a way to lower doctors’ insurance costs to keep them in Pennsylvania, and to keep hospitals in the black.
Alison Hawkes can be reached at 717-705-6330 or ahawkes@calkins-media.com