Nov 10, 2009 4:51 pm US/Eastern
Scranton Mayor Launches Campaign For Pa. Governor
PETER JACKSON, Associated Press Writer
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) ―
A week after winning a third term as Scranton's mayor, Chris Doherty announced Tuesday that he's running for a new job as Pennsylvania's governor.
Doherty announced at a rally in downtown Scranton that he plans to run for the Democratic nomination in the May primary.
Doherty, 51, credited his administration with leading an economic turnaround in Scranton that has attracted national attention, and said his passion for cities and towns will guide his policies as governor.
"We need to give people a reason to call Pennsylvania home," he said in a prepared remarks. "We define ourselves by where we live and we need to make ... Pennsylvania the sort of state people brag about."
Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell is barred by law from seeking re-election when his second term ends in January, creating an increasingly crowded field of candidates in both parties.
Doherty joins at least four other Democratic candidates.
He promised to fight for new jobs and more money to help struggling school districts. He said he also would press for changes to speed up the implementation of recovery plans for economically distressed municipalities.
Prior to being elected to his first term as mayor in 2001, Doherty served on the Scranton City Council. Previously, he and his brother ran a company that did sales and marketing work for Roman Catholic organizations, said campaign spokesman Mark Nevins.
A Scranton native who graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in Worecster, Mass., Doherty and his wife have six children.
The other Democratic candidates are Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Hoeffel, Philadelphia businessman Tom Knox, Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato and state Auditor General Jack Wagner.
State Attorney General Tom Corbett and U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach are seeking the Republican nomination, and state Rep. Samuel Rohrer has said he may enter the race.
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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