While voters are concentrating on the race for president, and to a lesser degree, the race for United States senate in Pennsylvania, there are quite a few important jobs up for grabs come November 6.
One involves a potential history-making campaign between two candidates with ties to our area who both want to be the top law enforcement officer in Pennsylvania.
The race for Attorney General of Pennsylvania mainly comes down to two candidates.
Democrat Kathleen Kane is trying to make history. Republican David Freed said that doesn't really matter.
“The race comes down to experience. Who's best prepared to be the chief law enforcement officer and the chief legal officer of the commonwealth of PA,” said Freed.
Freed, who has roots in Pottsville, is in his second term as District Attorney of Cumberland County, near Harrisburg.
Kane touts her experience as a longtime Assistant DA in Lackawanna County, specializing in prosecuting sex offenders.
She's made no secret of her desire to investigate why it took so long to arrest Jerry Sandusky.
“The question needs to be asked. The question needs to be answered, and I intend on doing both,” said Kane.
Since State Attorney General became an elected position in the 1980’s, no Democrat has ever won the office, and even though women have been elected state treasurer, auditor general, and even lieutenant governor, no woman has even run on a major ticket for attorney general until now.
“My opponent is a formidable candidate, and I respect her as a candidate, and we knew it'd be a tough race, but I knew that going into it. You don't shy away from a tough case just because it's a tough one,” said Freed.
“When I first decided to run for attorney general, I didn't even know that I was the first woman to run on a major party ticket for attorney general in PA,” said Kane.
As the race heats up in the final two weeks, both candidates promise to keep up the fight against public corruption, and work to cut down on gun violence within the parameters of the second amendment.
Freed emphasized that he's the candidate with the most experience.
Kane told voters she's a prosecutor, not a politician.
Some fast facts about Pennsylvania Attorney General: It became an elected position in 1980. Republican Leroy Zimmerman was the first to be elected. Coincidentally, David Freed is his son-in-law.
Attorney general is the chief law enforcement officer in the state, yet the two candidates in the 1988 campaign, both Republican Ernie Preate and Democrat Ed Mezvinsky, both ended up going to prison in later years, for unrelated crimes.
Each of the last three elected attorneys general ran for governor, Ernie Preate, Mike Fisher and Tom Corbett, but only Corbett won.
Every elected attorney general has been re-elected to a second term, but none of the last three actually finished his final term. Preate went to prison, Fisher became a federal judge, and Corbett was elected governor.