PA Gov. Pledges 'Open Mind' on Electoral Vote Plan
Gov. Tom Corbett said Saturday that he would listen to opposition to plan to get rid of the winner-take-all system for awarding the state's electoral votes in presidential contests. Much of the opposition is coming from his own Republican Party.
PA Gov. Pledges 'Open Mind' on Electoral Vote Plan
Thomas Fitzgerald, Inquirer Politics Writer
HARRISBURG - Gov. Corbett said Saturday he would keep an open mind to arguments against the proposal he backs that would end Pennsylvania’s system of allocating all of its electoral votes the winner of the statewide popular vote in presidential elections.
“You know me, I always listen,” Corbett told reporters outside the quarterly meeting of the Republican State Committee here. But he’s known as consistent, or stubborn, depending on your point of view, in his positions. A reporter asked him if he had ever changed his mind on anything. “There are a lot of times,” Corbett said. “I just don’t tell you when I change my mind.”
The governor said he was sympathetic to the concerns of Republican members of Congress who represent Democratic-trending districts in the Southeast that were carried handily by President Obama in 2008. He is scheduled to meet with the delegation Tuesday during a previously scheduled trip to Washington.
Under the proposal, championed by Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R) of Delaware County, Pennsylvania’s 20 electoral votes would be awarded on the basis of the popular vote in each of the 18 congressional districts, with two points awarded to the winner of the statewide popular vote.
The plan would potentially benefit the GOP’s presidential candidates in 2012 and beyond, but Democrats characterize it as vote rigging, and many Republicans are concerned because of the possibility of unintended consequences, such as endangering the party’s representatives in moderate congressional districts.
“I believe Sen. Pileggi’s bill has strong merit; it is more representative of Pennsylvania than the present system, but I’m keeping an open mind,” Corbett said.
He also said that he does not believe predictions of doom, common here at state committee, that national GOP party-building money would dry up if Pennsylvania were no longer the fifth-largest electoral prize in presidential years, with 20 EVs. “Everybody’s trying to figure out what’s going to happen, and that’s hard to do,” Corbett said. “No one knows the future.”
Asked what role national Republican leaders and members of the state’s House delegation should have in making a decision on the electoral-vote plan, Corbett said: “A role in the decision? I think they have a role in giving input, but the deision is pretty much up to the legislature.”
Why doesn't Corbett focus on policy that people actually care about like getting people back to work.— CoolZanna- The political retaliation from the voters and both Democrats and Repubs (RNC) will be severe if he does this.— Google It
- If you can't beat em' cheat em'...— ClarkU
- The President shoul dbe chosen via popular vote...the electoral college is a joke. This proposal at least drills it down to the congresionnal district level. It allows more folks to have a direct & local say in who their district sends to the WH.— kelprod2
- Just think, if popular vote was the norm in 2000, we'd have had President Gore instead that other yahoo. — mike l
- If this passes Obama might be thanking the GOP in Nov 2012— xenocide72
- If there is anything that can be done to negate the mindless voting record of those living in Phila I'm all for it.— RufusG
- Well, agreed this bought-off felon-to-be has much "open" space in that corrupt head of his, but I doubt there is much room for thought. Most of it is filled with gas.— CiceroSpuriousDeodatus
- BTW - If we did have a popular vote president, we would have avoided that hemorrhoid Georgie Girl Bush, and saved about a trillion dollars that the slime-bag GOP didn't care about losing.— CiceroSpuriousDeodatus
- anyone who is on the republican side of this thing should just come out and admit it: you don't think black people's votes should count the same as yours. it's racism, plain and simple.— tockeyhockey
- More representative? That's a laugh. This is as crass as a politician can get. Would it help the GOP in the '12 presidential election and in future presidential elections over the near term as much of rural PA stays lilly white? Without a doubt. Would Corbett and the GOP be punished for doing it in the same '12 election in PA races? Yup. Reality is that most 'conservatives' are utter liars and hypocrites when they talk about 'state rights' or 'individual liberty' or 'spending.' They are only to happy to have the spend dollars or have the federal gov't walk all over state/individual rights as long as it suits their agenda. There are a few true libertarians in the GOP but they are far and few in between. Most that I know tend to be independent because they are just as discussed with the corporatist, war-mongers in the GOP as they are with the Democrats.— PhillyGuy77
- Corbett and Obama have one thing in common...... BOTH ONE TERMers!!!— PhillyTerm
- That's what they always do when they cant rig the game. They change the rules. I think this is all nonsense because the President should be elected by popular vote. I think it would give us more "even" representation. It would eliminate one more level of gamesmanship in politics.— OldSouthPhilly
- Dear Liberals, explain to me how the winner take all system works for those of us that live in Lancaster Co. I want my vote to be counted and sent to what ever administration that is in place how I feel as a voter. The people opposed to this call those for it racists. Get over yourselves and the idea of not living off of my family.— TKL008
- since Day 1 of taking office, this lame newspaper italicizes or adds apostrophe punctuation for emphasis of nearly everything it wants to negatively slant that's been said by Governor Corbett. Hatchet job from Day 1 - yet gave Rendell a repeated free pass from such biased reporting coverage.— zen
- that's because Corbett is an idiot. Most people usually italicize the words of an idiot.
- What better way could there possibly be to control elections than to eliminate an element you can't control............the voters?? I never thought I'd live to see the day that a principle our country was founded on, democracy and the people choosing their own leadership, would be essentially taken away from us by unscrupulous politicians like Corbett.— ANGRY AL 2
- This move is way beyond this guy's pay grade. As soon as these bums start messing with election rules the groundwork for fascism has begun. Thanks for "Listening" Guv. Its mighty big of you.— alak0926
- You are all idiots if you don't agree with Corbetts thinking. Why should all black people of Philadelphia choose the President. Look what happened the last time the plurality picked him. We got an idiot. The other people of Pennsylvania deserve to be heard too.— TheShadowKnows
You can reach Tom Fitzgerald at 215-854-2718 or tfitzgerald@phillynews.com.
Reach Thomas at tfitzgerald@phillynews.com.
