A low-key but crucial race

Given the challenges that will face the next governor, the lack of interest in the race is surprising.

Voters are set to go to the polls Tuesday to pick the Democratic and Republican candidates who will face each other in the fall. The voter apathy may stem from the fact that the candidates are uninspiring, and many assume that Attorney General Tom Corbett is going to be the next governor.

But this race is too important to tune out. Whoever wins the election will inherit a fiscal mess in Harrisburg.

The next governor will face tough choices between steep budget cuts and tax hikes or both. The problems may be even worse given that Gov. Rendell has used federal stimulus funds to patch together recent budgets.

The state's pension system is a ticking time bomb, thanks to hefty increases in benefits passed by lawmakers and former Gov. Tom Ridge. The legalization of gambling backed by Rendell has been sloppy at best and is in need of more independent oversight.

So who is up for the job?

Granted, the candidates are a dull lot (although state Sen. Anthony Williams is much more freewheeling in person than he appears in his TV ads).

The weak field has made Corbett, the Republican front-runner, look even stronger, though his campaign has been untested. His plans for the looming budget troubles remain murky, though he has said he won't raise taxes.

Corbett's candidacy is built largely on money and name recognition from overseeing the so-called Bonusgate investigation of state lawmakers. On that score, he has done well. His probe has shined a harsh light on the ways of Harrisburg.

Many assume he will win in the fall because Pennsylvania has a history of alternating between Democratic and Republican governors. "It's the GOP's turn" isn't a very strong message.

Corbett's opponent in the primary is state Rep. Sam Rohrer (R., Berks), a gun-toting conservative who could get elected if only he were running in Texas.

Corbett should win the GOP nomination in a walk, but he isn't a shoo-in come November. In fact, Pennsylvania has never elected a sitting attorney general as governor. His decision to join other state attorneys general in a lawsuit to stop President Obama's health-care law could come back to haunt Corbett in the general election.

That makes the Democratic primary the one to watch.

Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato is the front-runner. Much of what voters in the Philadelphia area know about Onorato comes from his political ads.

He has the backing of the party establishment and has raised the most money. While Onorato has done some good things as the county executive, he comes across as Rendell lite.

In fact, many of Onorato's big donors are longtime Rendell supporters. That cuts two ways. Special interests already wield too much influence in Harrisburg. Why keep that pipeline open?

Williams' candidacy is the most puzzling. He's essentially been bankrolled by three money managers from Bala Cynwyd who support charter schools and vouchers, and two other big donors. That's five guys with one issue trying to buy a governor.

They have poured millions of dollars into a race that is a long shot at best. It's an effort that doesn't make any sense. If anything, Williams' campaign is a poster child for donor limits in Pennsylvania. Not to mention that the charter school Williams founded is worse than neighboring public schools.

There's one person in the Democratic field who has the most potential to give Corbett a race in the fall. That's Jack Wagner, the auditor general.

Wagner has won statewide election and seems like a straight shooter. He lives on the same street where he grew up in a working-class neighborhood in Pittsburgh.

Wagner spent 10 years in the state Senate. He supports early childhood education, prescription drug coverage for seniors, and property-tax reform. During the state budget battle, he offered some compelling cost-saving ideas.

There's one big problem: Wagner hasn't raised much money. That has kept him from buying TV time. As such, he hasn't gained much traction in the polls. But the lack of funding from special interests is the best reason for average voters to back Wagner.

Wagner has gotten the attention of Rendell. The governor called a news conference last week to take issue with ads Wagner is running that point to an increase in state spending under Rendell.

Wagner has also issued audits of the Rendell administration for no-bid contracts and wasteful spending.

Rendell had this to say about Wagner: "At times he is a pain in the butt, but he does his job."

That's the best endorsement yet for Wagner.