Top Stories of 2014: The race for Pa. governor

(Undated) — The 2014 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election was historic, breaking trends in gubernatorial politics going back decades as Democratic challenger Tom Wolf bested incumbent Republican Governor Tom Corbett. 

Before November, no incumbent governor had lost his reelection bid since the 1968 change to the state constitution allowing second terms.

Corbett had been lagging in the polls for years, largely due to the perception he cut funding for education in 20-11.

He says he delivered on the promises he made in 20-10 of fiscal discipline and limited government.

“I said I may be a one term governor, and I am,” he says. “But I am proud of what we did, what we all did.”

York County businessman Tom Wolf campaigned on a pledge to boost funding for education and other programs by levying a tax on Marcellus Shale gas drillers and targeting the wealthy with a progressive income tax.

“There are different ideas as to how we deliver on the promise of a good education, but we have to invest in it,” he said.

In a banner year for Republicans across the country, Democratic challenger Wolf beat Corbett by nearly 10 points.

Questions still remain about how Wolf will hike state spending next year with an estimated deficit of nearly two billion dollars.

It remains to be seen how budget problems are compounded by the political chasm in the Capitol. Wolf’s priorities align with Democrats, but the Legislature remains solidly in Republican hands.