Do you know who’s running for Governor in Pennsylvania?

    Race to run Harrisburg plays second fiddle

    In just a few hours Pennsylvania voters will step inside polling places and cast ballots in the primary election. On the Democratic side, the tight U.S. Senate race between incumbent Arlen Specter and Congressman Joe Sestak is drawing headlines. There’s another big office on the ballot.

    Poll after poll shows voters don’t know much about the four Democratic candidates for Governor: Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Hoeffel, Allegheny County executive Dan Onorato, Auditor General Jack Wagner, and State Senator Anthony Hardy Williams.

    Political and advertising consultant Elliot Curson says the contentious Senate primary is taking some of the thunder away from the Governor’s race.

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    “I think if the average candidate walked into a room today people wouldn’t know who they were. There’s no sense of identity maybe they’d know Williams locally but they don’t feel an affinity towards the candidates and the Senate race is overshadowing it.”

    A new Quinnipiac University poll shows Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato remains far ahead of the field with 39 percent, more than his three major competitors combined, although 31 percent of voters remains undecided.

    The Democratic primary winner will likely face Attorney General Tom Corbett, who holds a strong lead over State Representative Sam Rohrer in the Republican primary.

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