Lessons for PA GOP from the Governor Election

On Tuesday night, there was a red tsunami that swept over the entire country as Conservatives and Republicans handily dispatched collectivist Democrats in the US Senate, US House, Governorships and State Houses. The Pennsylvania Governorship was one of the few spots that the red wave missed.

Despite the misinformation that the Democrats disseminated about Tom Corbett, the most significant reason for the loss was the failure of Tom Corbett and the PA GOP to make much-needed reforms. As they also controlled both chambers in Harrisburg for the last four years, the PA GOP failed to pass government employee pension reform, liquor privatization, paycheck protection, corporate tax reform and school choice. Unfortunately, they did pass Common Core education curriculum and they increased the gasoline tax.

By the summer of 2014, grassroot conservatives throughout the state were exasperated with Corbett and the PA GOP. Although many grassroot conservatives may have voted for Corbett on Tuesday because of the very unattractive alternative, few contributed money to his campaign and few knocked on doors for him. If Corbett and the PA GOP made bold reforms such as Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and the Wisconsin GOP to improve the state, they also would have had an overflow of campaign contributions and thousands of ground troops to get them re-elected.

Over the next four years, Pennsylvania will have some difficult times under a new and progressive Governor as taxes will rise, state government and school district costs will continue to soar, the booming Marcellus Shale gas industry will be stunted, energy costs will go up, and businesses will continue to move to more conservative states that are friendlier to them. But the lesson for the PA GOP is that in the future, they need to campaign on bold reforms and actually implement them.