Pennsylvania gubernatorial election, 1998
Encyclopedia
The Pennsylvania Gubernatorial election of 1998 was held on November 3, 1998. It was between incumbent Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

 Tom Ridge
Tom Ridge
Thomas Joseph "Tom" Ridge is an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives , the 43rd Governor of Pennsylvania , Assistant to the President for Homeland Security , and the first United States Secretary of Homeland Security...

 and Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

 Ivan Itkin
Ivan Itkin
Ivan Itkin is a former Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. He was his party's nominee for Governor of Pennsylvania in 1998.-Early life:...

. Ridge, a popular moderate, won with 57% of the votes cast. During this election cycle, Democrats struggled with fundraising issues and had difficulty recruiting a top tier candidate. Itkin, who had little name recognition statewide, was considered to be a sacrificial lamb. Peg Luksik
Peg Luksik
Marguerite "Peg" Anna McKenna Luksik is a conservative politician, frequent candidate, and Constitution Party activist in Pennsylvania.Luksik was born on August 11, 1955 in Huntsville, Alabama, where her father was in the Army...

, who was well known as an outspoken opponent of abortion, ran as a strong third party contender for the second consecutive election cycle; she emphasized the pro-choice stances of both candidates and drew votes in the state's rural, conservative center. However, Ridge's victory was never in doubt, as he ran on a generally positive record from his prior term and a combination of traditional Republican strategies (such as his "tough on crime" image) combined with his ability to somewhat undercut Democratic support (such as through his labor ties).http://books.google.com/books?id=1J_9q-lIWRkC&pg=PA112&lpg=PA112&dq=1998+ridge+itkin&source=bl&ots=AK6b-Ut25d&sig=ln8QefiZodyBTkRiIzEYxTt21Ro&hl=en&ei=cPjETOLTOoOglAenj8EH&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CCQQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=1998%20ridge%20itkin&f=false

Democratic

  • Ivan Itkin
    Ivan Itkin
    Ivan Itkin is a former Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. He was his party's nominee for Governor of Pennsylvania in 1998.-Early life:...

    , State Representative
    • Runningmate: Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky
      Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky
      Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania and a women's right activist. She is a former journalist and a former politician for the Democratic Party. From 1993 to 1995 she was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing...

      , former US Congresswoman

Republican

  • Tom Ridge
    Tom Ridge
    Thomas Joseph "Tom" Ridge is an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives , the 43rd Governor of Pennsylvania , Assistant to the President for Homeland Security , and the first United States Secretary of Homeland Security...

    , incumbent Governor
    • Runningmate: Mark Schweiker, incumbent Lieutenant Governor

Constitution

  • Peg Luksik
    Peg Luksik
    Marguerite "Peg" Anna McKenna Luksik is a conservative politician, frequent candidate, and Constitution Party activist in Pennsylvania.Luksik was born on August 11, 1955 in Huntsville, Alabama, where her father was in the Army...

    , director of a pro-life organization

Runningmate: Jim Clymer
Jim Clymer
James N. Clymer is the current party chairman of the United States Constitution Party.He grew up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and earned a law degree. He was admitted into the Pennsylvania Bar Association in May 1978. In 1986 he was appointed Chairman of the Bob Smith for Senate Committee...

, attorney

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