Money & Politics With Jon Delano

   Okay, one election is over -- so are you ready for another?

   Believe me, behind closed doors politicians are already figuring what the 2008 election in Pennsylvania means for the two big battles of 2010:  the election of a new Governor and the race for U.S. Senate.

   History suggests that 2010 will be a Republican year in PA.  The last time a political party won the governorship three times in a row was back in 1942, 1946, and 1950 when Republicans Edward Martin, James Duff, and John Fine kept the mansion in the GOP column.  But ever since, PA has had an 8-year rule, meaning that after eight years of one party, the governor's office switches back to the other party.  After eight years of Democrat Ed Rendell, it's the Republicans' turn to lead the commonwealth.

   So who is the leading Republican to take the state's helm?  Well, right now it looks like Attorney General Tom Corbett is well-positioned to take his party's nomination.  He won a convincing victory this month, not only beating back the Democratic sweep for Obama, but also carrying his home county of Allegheny.  Corbett is not a lock on the nod, however.  Other Republicans on the list include former U.S. Attorney (Philadelphia) Pat Meehan, former U.S. Rep. Pat Toomey (who came oh-so-close to defeating Arlen Specter in the 2004 GOP primary), and Pittsburgh conservative (and millionaire) Glen Meakem.  Some think long-shot possibilities include former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum and former U.S. Rep. Melissa Hart.  But, clearly, Corbett has the edge.

   But Democrats think 2010 will be different, and Allegheny County executive Dan Onorato seems most intent on proving history wrong.  Onorato has already amassed a campaign budget of over $2 million and has been courting many of the Rendell donors/supporters in Philadelphia.  It doesn't hurt that one of his biggest Philly supporters is law school classmate and attorney John Estey, the former chief of staff to Rendell.  Onorato may not have clear sailing, as state auditor general Jack Wagner won a landslide reelection this month.  Wagner doesn't have Onorato's money, but he does have greater name recognition -- at least for the moment.  Wagner is said to be looking at the governor's race, although he could end up running for the U.S. Senate, too.

   Onorato and Wagner aren't the only Dems looking at this race.  Don Cunningham, the county executive of Lehigh County, is also on the watch list, along with Scranton state senator Bob Mellow and Philadelphia millionaire (and former mayoralty candidate) Tom Knox.

   And while the Republican incumbent Arlen Specter has no intention of stepping down, plenty of Democrats may line up to take him on.  That includes many of the Dems noted above, who could be persuaded to run against Specter instead of Onorato.  One name not on the list, however, but clearly giving the 2010 Senate race some thought is Chris Matthews, the host of MSNBC's popular "Hardball."  Matthews is a native Philadelphian, who got plenty of Capitol Hill experience working for the late House Speaker Tip O'Neill.  While Matthews has antagonized some Dems (because he was relentless in his attacks on the Clintons), he has the energy, passion, and money to give the omnipresent Specter a real race.

   These are some very quick reflections on 2010, long before most of us have thought much about it.  Share your thoughts.  I want to hear them.