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 With the incumbent faring so poorly, his party is counting on
Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey to shore up Corbett's
campaign. But even the backing of a powerful populist like Christie,
renowned for his bipartisan appeal, could be too little, too late
for his Pennsylvania counterpart, analysts say.
Trailing Democrat Tom Wolf in polls, Corbett has one of the lowest
rates of party support of any incumbent, analysts say. If Corbett
fails to win a second term, he would become the state's first
incumbent governor to do so, a blow to Republican prestige at a time
when the party is eager to make comeback on the national and state
levels.
"His own party is walking away from him," said Tim Malloy, assistant
director of the Quinnipiac University Poll, which recently showed 22
percent of Republicans deserting Corbett to vote for his opponent.
In November, polls suggest, Democrats could pick up a net three
governor seats among 36 races across the nation, according to the
website Real Clear Politics.
Corbett has taken heat for presiding over state cuts in education
funding. His Democratic predecessor cut basic funding for schools as
revenues slumped and relied on temporary stimulus money until those
federal funds dried up.
In 2012, Corbett brought state funding for education back up to 2008
levels, still at least $500 million below the previous year without
the stimulus funds. This fiscal year, Pennsylvania is spending $5.5
billion on basic education.
Some critics also say Corbett was ineffective, having failed to push
through his political agenda, given both legislative houses are
Republican-controlled.
For Corbett, the bad rap on getting things done comes at a time when
voters are looking to their state governments to tackle pressing
issues, given the political deadlock that shows no sign of easing in
Washington, D.C.
"There's disappointment with his administration," said Chris Borick,
professor of political science and director of the Muhlenberg
College Institute of Public Opinion. "They think, 'Did we just blow
an opportunity?'"
Supporters tout Corbett's efforts saving jobs in refineries and
shipyards and point out the state's unemployment rate has dropped.
Aiming to convince Republicans to stay the course, Corbett stumped
with Christie last week at a rally in leafy Wayne, one of the
Philadelphia suburbs that are key to a victory on Nov. 4.
"I've worked with him now for four years, as closely as I've worked
with any governor in America," said Christie, who chairs the
Republican Governors Association. "This man has earned and deserves
your support."
Supporters said Corbett has failed to get his message out because
his opponent has outspent him. They also think Republicans need to
be better informed and the governor has not fought hard enough.
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"People haven't been paying attention to what Corbett's doing," said
Dan Bowser, 68, an insurance agent from Thorndale who attended the
Corbett rally last Thursday. "He's not blowing his own horn the way
he should."
Wolf, a businessman who has poured his personal fortune into the
race, has hammered hard in television campaign at Corbett,
particularly on education. He proposes a tax on natural gas drillers
to fund budget shortfalls.
Listening to Christie, Rich Julason, 71, of Glen Mills, said he was
fired up to go talk to "everyone and anyone that has some
reservations" about the incumbent.
"When Christie comes over to run for him, it says a lot," he said.
"If he didn't like Tom Corbett, he wouldn't be here."
Corbett could use a bit of Christie's communication skill, said Mary
Lou Son, a 72-year-old teaching assistant from Upper Pottsgrove
Township.
"Corbett has not been aggressive enough. Maybe he's too nice a guy,"
she said.
While Christie helped Corbett draw a few hundred people, twice as
many people gathered a few miles away the same day in Philadelphia
where former first lady Hillary Clinton was campaigning for Wolf.
Going after Wolf as a tax-and-spend liberal, Republicans criticize
him as not being forthcoming about his tax reform plans. Wolf says
he supports fairer taxes and no tax increase on the middle class but
says many of the specifics will depend on the state's fiscal health.
Corbett improved slightly in the most recent Quinnipiac poll, which
showed a shrinking gap to 17 points from a 20-point gap in a
Franklin & Marshall poll a few days earlier.
But the latest poll showed 85 percent of likely voters were firmly
set in their choice.
(Editing by Frank McGurty and Lisa Shumaker)
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