Let the Race begin

Filing season has already begun in the race to replace lame duck Governor Ed Rendell. Former state Revenue Secretary Tom Wolf is the first Democrat to officially throw his hat in the ring. Wolf says an official announcement is still about three weeks away, but he's filed paperwork with the Secretary of the Commonwealth to form a committee called "Tom Wolf for Pennsylvania." The York County native ran a private business for years before becoming the state's revenue secretary, and says he stepped down from that post in November to think about making a run for governor. He says he'll spend the next few months making contacts, raising funds and talking to Commonwealth residents about the issues. He says, “Campaigns, for better or for worse, have just been running longer and longer. And since I'm an outsider, I think I need to start as early as I possibly can. ...[P]olitical campaigns at the state level are not sprints. They're long distance runs. And I'm going to be in it for the long distance.” Wolf says improving the economy will be his top focus, but he also mentions education reform, urban revitalization and the preservation of Pennsylvania's green spaces. Both parties will likely see crowded primary contests next year.