Pennsylvania Politics -- Swanny Steps Out

He hasn't announced yet, and he has not real answers as to what he'd do with the job, but Lynn Swann has emerged as the leading candidate to challenge Gov. Eddie Rendell in next years elections. So far Rendell has performed abysmally and has approval ratings around 40%. But Swann, who polls at about the same level, is clearly running solely on name recognition. He was in the area a few days ago, and the Reading Eagle was there to witness the maybe candidate in action.

Lynn Swann earned a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame making highlight-reel catches as a wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the late 1970s.

But in the early stages of his still unofficial bid for the Republican nomination in the 2006 race for Pennsylvania governor, Swann seems content punting on the details of how he would run the state.
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Swann said he would come up with solutions for moving the state forward after listening to legislators and others.

“My idea of governing isn't dictating to you what we should do,” Swann said.

Before his speech, Swann was asked about his ideas on property taxes.

“I have several ideas of my own, which I am vetting with several people to see the viability of them,” Swann said. “I think you need to have a well thought-out plan.”

Obviously he doesn't have one.

One plan Swann has thought out is the timing of a formal declaration that he's running for governor.

Swann, who won four Super Bowl titles with the Steelers, works as a sideline reporter for ABC Sports.

He said he wants to fulfill his contract with the network before formally announcing probably sometime next year that he's a candidate for governor.

Declaring his candidacy now would force the network to pull Swann off the air due to requirements to give all political candidates equal time.

So that explains just why he's being so cutesy and coy about running.

Read the whole thing here.

There is only one serious candidate in the race, Jeff Piccola, State Senate Majority Whip, but he trails badly in the polls against the better known dilettants like Scranton and Swann.

There's still plenty of time for that to change, though.